When it comes to the Japanese dessert Mochi, it is always about the sweetness of summer and the cutesy-squishy texture. Mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert made of rice. When rice is battered, it would create a sugary taste and a rice cake texture. Therefore, Mochi have a lovely sweet taste, as well as a chewy texture. Like any other dessert, it can be filled with different kinds of delicious and satisfying fillings, like red bean paste and green bean paste. There is also a wonderful combination of ice-cream with Mochi which is called Mochi ice-cream! and it is popular around the world. Not only is Mochi a delightful snack, it is also an important part of Japanese culture. Let’s start to learn more about Mochi. → OMG! Try This Amazing Mini Mochi Here!
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What You Need to Know About Mochi
Mochi is a traditional Japanese dessert made of rice. It is known for its incredibly nice sweet taste and its chewy texture. Traditional Mochi only has a few fillings to choose from, like red bean paste and green bean paste. However, as influenced by the Western culture, Mochi chefs are getting more creative when making Mochi, you can now find all sorts of fillings in Mochi, like chocolate, custard, jam or even ice-cream.
There are a lot of ways to savor Mochi. You can even dip one in soy sauce and trust me, you would be surprised how that two work out. This traditional Japanese dessert is made to be enjoyed on the New Year Day. Some families would make sour flour Mochi in the new year period because it symbolizes good luck.
In special times of the year, the Japanese would prepare their favorite Japanese dessert to celebrate the occasion. For example, during the cherry blossom season, Japanese would make sakura Mochi to celebrate the coming of Spring. On children’s day, Mochi with a leaf wrap would be made to promote the happiness and health of children in the country. Follow our recipes, or buy them here (a lots of flavors)!
Traditional Japanese Dessert Mochi Recipes
Although you can be very creative when making this Japanese dessert, sometimes it is just nice to go back to the basic. You can use this recipe to make the original, flavorless Mochi. Make good use of your imagination to create Mochi of different styles and flavors! You can even put Mochi into hot dishes like the Mochi soup. Just make sure you keep your mind open when you are dealing with this Japanese dessert. Here is how to make this traditional Japanese dessert.
NO.1 Typical Mochi recipe
- STEP 1: Mix 1 cup of Mochi flour and ¾ cup water in a glass.
- STEP 2: Steam the Mochi dough in a steam for 20 minutes.
- STEP 3: Add 2 cups sugar, then cook the steamed dough over medium low to medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved. Add sugar slowly so that you would not burn the sugar.
- STEP 4: Cool the hot Mochi on a sheet pan and dust with cornstarch.
- STEP 5: Prepare the filling. You can use your imagination and put any filling that might fit. Some common choices are red bean paste, custard, chocolate, a whole strawberry and many more.
- STEP 6: Roll the Mochi into slightly flat ball shape.
- STEP 7: Decorate the Mochi with some soy flour, grass flour, or a sakura leaf. Serve
NO.2 Sakura Mochi Recipe
Sakura Mochi does not just look nice on your Instagram, but it is a Japanese dessert that represents the hope and beauty of Spring, just like its name sakura. Japanese families would also make sakura Mochi for their girls to wish them good fortune and health when it is the Girl’s Day or the Doll Festive, that is 3 March. Sakura Mochi is used to celebrate the beauty of female. Here are the steps to make this traditional Japanese dessert.
- STEP 1: Prepare the filling by soaking 2 cups red beans overnight. Rinse and drain the beans when used.
- STEP 2: Boil the beans over medium heat for 10 minutes. Then boil for another 1 ½ hours or 2 hours over low heat until the beans are softened. Stir occasionally to make sure the beans do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
- STEP 3: Add 1/3 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to the mixture. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- STEP 4: Wash 3 cups sweet rice and allow the drained rice to stand for half an hour.
- STEP 5: Heat 2/3 cups sugar in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, then add 2 drops of red food colouring.
- STEP 6: Mix the sugar and rice together with 3 ¼ cups water.
- STEP 7: Boil the rice according to the instructions of your rice cooker.
- STEP 8: Take 2 to 3 tablespoon of Mochi dough and roll it into a circle shape. Place an appropriate amount of red bean paste on each small Mochi dough. Decorate the plate with some dried sakura leaves.
Mochi Ice-cream Recipe
It is very common to add ice-cream into this traditional Japanese dessert to make it nice for spring, summer, autumn and winter. Mochi ice-cream could definitely make it to the top list of modern Japanese dessert. Here are the few simple steps to make you. You can mix things up by changing the flavors of the ice-cream filling!→ Get Yours Here!
- STEP 1: Freeze scoops of ice-cream in the freeze until frozen.
- STEP 2: Mix ¾ Mochi flour with ¼ cup sugar, then add water and mix well. You can also add a few drop of food coloring of your choice to make your Mochi ice-cream look more colorful.
- STEP 3: Head the mixture in the 1200w microwave for 1 minute.
- STEP 4: Dust the heated Mochi with ½ cup potato starch and cool for 15 minutes.
- STEP 5: Roll the Mochi dough into circle shapes.
- STEP 6: Place the frozen ice-cream on each circle and wrap the ice-cream up.
- STEP 7: Freeze until the shape is solid.
The History of the Japanese Dessert Mochi
Mochi goes back to a long time in history. It started off as an offering to the gods in the old Heian Period. It was treated as a religious offering instead of a daily life Japanese dessert, only the emperor and the nobles had the privileges to enjoy this wonderful Japanese dessert.
It was an omen of good fortune as well as a symbol of happy marriage. As time passes, It had grown to become an everyday Japanese dessert that can be enjoyed by mortals like you and me. Still, Mochi is treated as a festival Japanese dessert enjoyed particularly in the New Year period. On the first day of a new year, Japanese families would make the Japanese dessert “mirror Mochi”, that is 2 pieces of Mochi stacking on top of each other with an orange on top.
Mirror Mochi symbolizes longevity, which is very appropriate to enjoy when families are giving each other new year blessings. Some families would also make the Mochi soup in the new year, with vegetables like taro, carrot, honeywort added together to a bowl of soup. Nowadays, Mochi has become the most popular Japanese dessert and many variations have been created, including matcha or chocolate Mochi and Mochi ice-cream, adding a splash of modernity to this traditional Japanese dessert.
Mochi and Literature
The first appearance of the Japanese dessert is in the famous Japanese novel The Tale of Genji. The Tale of Genji is a classic Japanese literature work written by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century. It was recorded that in The Tale of Genji, Mochi was related to a marriage ritual.
When a man proposed, he would sing the proposal song, and if the woman agreed to the proposal, she would respond with another song. On the third day after the proposal, the newlyweds would share a plate of 3 Mochi, prepared by elders in the village with a happy marriage and a big family. Hence, Mochi has become a symbol of long marriage and big families. This meaning was further extended to the meaning of longevity, fortune, and health. So I guess you could say that Mochi is a very historic Japanese dessert. → Get These Hawaii Best Mochi Cooking Book Here!
Where to Get Japanese Mochi in the United States?
Are you excited to get some Mochi to celebrate the upcoming new year? If so, do check out some of these stores below and get yourself some delicious Japanese dessert.→ Get Yours Here!
My/Mo
My/Mo chain store provides you with all sorts of Mochi products, including Mochi ice-cream, non-dairy & vegan Mochi and ice-cream with Mochi bits. There are over 6000 salespoint in the states, so it would be easy and convenient to buy some Mochi goddess for the night. → Get Yours Here!
Name: My/Mo
Open hours: 7:00 – 23:00 Mon-Sat; 8:00 – 22:00 Sun
Tel: 516-570-5700
Address: Gristedes Store, 1450 E 83rd and 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 11028
Website：https://www.mymoMochi.com/
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Let’s Enjoy Japanese Mochi!
There are countless number of Japanese dessert, however, Mochi is one with a long history as well as numerous variations. Not only does it symbolises longevity, happy marriage, fortune and health, it can be perfectly mixed and matched with other Japanese dessert. From the traditional flavourless Mochi, to sakura Mochi with red bean paste filling, to the modern Mochi with chocolate of custard filling, the creativity within Mochi is endless. Japanese families used to, and still love to enjoy a piece Mochi or two during the New Year Day for a good fortune of the year.
On the other hand, Mochi has become an international phenomenon and you can practically enjoy Mochi anywhere in the world. You can either purchase them online, or even better, make them yourself. You can feel free to add in some creations on your own to add a personal trait to this lovely chewy Japanese dessert.
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