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How to Make Mochi at Home
If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve probably seen more than one story featuring mochi. We are obssesed with them!
But wait a second, what are mochis?
Mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet made with glutinous rice.
Traditionally, it is made by soaking the rice for a day, then steaming the rice and finally pounding it in a heavy of mortar, called usu, with a wooden mallet called kine until it you get a dough that is smooth and elastic. Both sweet and savoury versions of mochis are available.
In Japan, mochis are often enjoyed on special occasions, whether to celebrate the New Year or the birth of a child.
So if you have a special occasion and you haven’t tried mochis yet, please do. You might mochi love them ^.^
You can make them at home using the recipe below. If you don’t feel like cooking, you can also buy them ready-made (if you have a Niji shop nearby, don’t even doubt it).
Ichigo Daifuku mochi, filled with anko and strawberries
A very popular kind of mochi is the daifuku mochi. Those consist of mochi filled with anko (sweet azuki paste) or shiroan (sweet white bean paste).
It is also very popular in Japan to fill it with anko and strawberry, this is known as ichigo daifuku mochi.
This mochi filling, along with matcha ice cream, is one of my favourites.
The secret to making mochi at home the easy way.
Mochi is made with mochigome, a glutinous rice of the japonica variety.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the rice is left to soak, after it’s steamed and pounded with a wooden mallet known as a “kine” in a traditional mochi mortar called “usu”.
Trying to replicate this process at home is… complicated, to say the least.
Luckily, there is an easy solution, which is to make the mochi with shiratamako.
Shiratamako flour is mixed with water and steamed or microwaved. Giving the dough its characteristic sticky texture and mochi flavour in barely no time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rice flour to make mochi?
No. There are many types of rice flour, some made with long grain rice. I am afraid this recipe will only work if you use shiratamako.
Can mochis be made with mochiko?
Yes, mochiko, like shiratamako, are glutinous rice flours. However, the recipe I share with you will only work with shiratamako.
Also, it is worth noting that mochis made with shiratamako are softer and more elastic than those made with mochiko. Mochiko mochis are less elastic, more doughy and should be eaten on the same day.
Liked this recipe?
How do you feel about some melt-in-your-mouth homemade glazed donuts?
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How to Make Japanese Mochi
Equipment
Ingredients
- shiratamako 50 g
- water 90 g
- sugar 25 g
- potato starch - or corn starch 50 g
- anko 6 tbsp
- strawberries - small 6
Instructions
- Clean the strawberries, dry them and cut off their stalks.
- Roll the anko into balls. If the anko sticks to your hands, you can use some potato starch to help you shape it.
- In a microwave safe bowl mix the shiratamako with the sugar and add the water.
- Cover with a plate and cook for 1 minute.
- Remove from the microwave. You will see that the colour of the dough will change from white to translucent. Stir well, cover and put it back in the microwave for 45 seconds.
- Stir once more. As I still have some whitish areas, I will cook the dough an additional 15 seconds.
- BEWARE! The mochi dough will be very hot, please be careful not to burn yourselves.
- On a clean surface, generously sprinkle a little potato starch.
- Careful not to burn yourself, pour the dough, shape it into a log (cylinder) and cut the dough into six pieces.
- Shape each piece into a ball. The easiest way to do do this, is to take the ends of the dough and pinch them together and join them together until you have a ball.
- Flatten the ball, and with your hands or with the help of a rolling pin, flatten the dough.
- Add the anko and strawberry filling. Gently push it towards the centre while pinching the edges of the mochi together until the filling is completely enveloped.
- If at any point the mochi starts to stick to your hands, rub them with a pinch of cornflour or potato starch.
- Finally, we just pinch the bottom part so that it does not open and give it its round shape with our hands.
