Straightforward do-it-yourself mochi served together with your favorite toppings. Mochi recipe with step-by-step pictures for Kinako Mochi, Peanut Mochi and Black Sesame Mochi.
Do-it-yourself Mochi
Should you grew up in an Asian family, likelihood is that you simply ate mochi as a dessert. Many Asian desserts are a textural affair, and the gentle chewiness of mochi is a texture distinctive to Asian delicacies. I’m relatively stunned that mochi has turn into so extensively widespread nowadays, amongst each Asian and western customers alike. Maybe it has one thing to do with the rise in reputation of Bubble Tea, however had you instructed me once I was a toddler that mochi would turn into a worldwide sensation someday, I might not have believed you 😅
What’s Mochi?
Mochi is the Japanese identify for a dumpling-sized rice cake made out of glutinous rice flour. It has a gentle, chewy and bouncy texture, and, as it’s fairly plain by itself, mochi is commonly paired with different flavourings.
Different Asian nations have a really related dessert of their delicacies, albeit with completely different flavourings, however the Japanese time period “mochi” has been utilized to these desserts too by many westerners. Earlier than “mochi” grew to become a preferred time period, these desserts had been generally referred to as “glutinous rice balls” which doesn’t fairly have the identical attraction 😉
Vietnamese Mochi
I grew up in a Vietnamese family and my mom all the time made “Vietnamese mochi”, that are glutinous rice balls full of mung beans and served in a candy ginger syrup. This dessert is often served at Lunar New Yr and at giant household celebrations.
One other widespread Vietnamese-style mochi are glutinous rice balls with a candy peanut filling, and coated in coconut. This mixture can also be widespread in China and Taiwan. Beneath, I’ve included my fast and straightforward model the place, as a substitute of filling the mochi with a candy peanut filling, I as a substitute make an inside-out model and coat the mochi with the candy peanut combination as a substitute. It’s addictive!
Japanese Mochi
One model of mochi which I attempted in Nara, Japan, was a really soft-set mugwort mochi full of crimson beans and dusted in roasted soybean powder (kinako). It was one of the scrumptious issues I had eaten in Japan! I beloved it as a result of it was not overly candy, and I really like the toasted nuttiness of the soybean powder.
I additionally obtained to strive a a lot easier model, referred to as Kinako Mochi, the place plain mochi is coated with roasted soybean powder. It was one of many first issues I attempted to recreate once I obtained residence!
Mochi Recipe
The next mochi recipe is essentially impressed by the Japanese-style mochi, the place the glutinous rice balls are formed merely and sprinkled with a wide range of flavourings. I discover this model of do-it-yourself mochi a lot simpler and faster to make than these which comprise a filling.
This mochi recipe additionally produces very gentle and tender mochi balls; a fork ought to reduce by means of the mochi like a pointy knife. One of these gentle mochi may be very nice to eat as a result of, though it’s nonetheless properly chewy, it virtually melts in your mouth. Additionally they really feel lighter to eat, so you possibly can eat extra 😊
Usually talking, the softer the mochi, the stickier the dough. However I’ve some suggestions beneath for dealing with the mochi dough, and the extra usually you make this mochi recipe, the simpler it would get 😊
Dairy-Free Mochi Recipe
My mochi recipe makes use of milk and butter, two components which aren’t generally utilized in Asian delicacies.
You’ll be able to, after all, substitute the milk for merely water, and omit the butter completely to make dairy-free mochi.
Should you don’t have any dietary restrictions, I extremely advocate making do-it-yourself mochi with milk as a result of, having experimented with many recipes, I discover the mochi made with milk (in addition to butter added in direction of the top), creates a softer, creamier texture, and with a nicer flavour.
What Flour to Use to For Mochi
Mochi is made with glutinous rice flour, which can also be referred to as candy rice flour within the US.
I extremely advocate that you simply purchase the variability offered at most Asian grocers, as they’re very finely milled in comparison with the variations offered in western supermarkets. Glutinous rice flour is often offered alongside different sorts of flour and starches utilized in Asian cooking, so be sure you learn the packaging fastidiously.
One trick I’ve learnt is that glutinous rice flour is commonly offered with inexperienced packaging (glutinous = inexperienced), whereas rice flour is commonly offered with crimson packaging (rice = crimson). However which may not all the time be the case, so please all the time verify first.
Japanese grocers additionally promote glutinous rice flour referred to as mochiko, and which is made out of quick grain rice. It prices double or triple the worth of different sorts of glutinous rice flour (that are made out of lengthy grain rice), and having made mochi many occasions utilizing each sorts of glutinous rice flour, I’ve not observed any discernible distinction.
Tips on how to Make Mochi
Step 1
Place all the dry components collectively in a big bowl. Add the milk, and whisk till you might have a clean batter.
Step 2
Steam the batter for about 20 minutes on excessive warmth. I’ve a steam oven, so I can place the entire mixing bowl into my steamer. Should you don’t have a steam oven, fastidiously switch the batter to a bowl giant sufficient to suit into your stovetop steamer.
You can too microwave the batter. Cowl the bowl with a sheet of plastic wrap, and poke just a few holes to let the steam escape. Microwave on excessive energy for about 3 minutes, stir with a picket spoon, after which microwave for one other 3 minutes till the batter is cooked by means of.
As soon as the mochi dough is cooked, it ought to be clear in color, and each agency and bouncy to the touch. Use a picket spoon to combine the recent mochi dough. If, as you’re mixing, you see any liquid, cook dinner the combination for a bit longer.
Step 3
Whereas the mochi remains to be heat, beat within the butter with a picket spoon till the butter is absolutely integrated.
As soon as the mochi is cool sufficient to deal with (however not chilly), I like to recommend kneading the mochi together with your arms till you might have a clean mochi dough. I additionally advocate sporting food-safe disposable gloves for this job.
Step 4
Because the combination is extremely sticky, there are a number of methods that you could form the mochi. Many recipes instruct you to mud the mochi dough in cornflour (cornstarch) or much like minimise the stickiness. Nevertheless, the draw back is that the mochi takes on the starchy flavour, which I discover to be disagreeable. I favor to make use of one of many following strategies:
- Use disposable gloves. This technique is best for producing small spherical balls of mochi. Utilizing a pair of food-safe disposable gloves, take a handful of dough, after which squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger, then pinch off the balls. Drop the mochi balls immediately onto a big tray sprinkled with the flavourings of your alternative.
- Use a big piping bag. Scrape the mochi dough into a big piping bag (I favor to make use of disposable ones for this recipe), snip off the top to create a big opening, squeeze out small sections of mochi and reduce them off with a pair of scissors which have been dipped in vegetable oil. Drop the reduce mochi dough immediately onto a big tray sprinkled with the flavourings of your alternative. Evenly oil the scissors every time earlier than reducing.
- Reduce strips with a knife. That is the quickest and simplest way, however produces tough wanting shapes. Scrape the mochi dough onto a sheet of baking paper, and use a big knife or dough cutter coated in vegetable oil to chop strips or items of mochi, and switch them to a big tray sprinkled with the flavourings of your alternative. Evenly oil the knife every time earlier than reducing.
Varieties of Mochi Flavourings
There are various methods you possibly can flavour the mochi balls. Listed here are a few of my favourites:
- Kinako Mochi. Merely roll the mochi balls in some roasted soybean powder.
- Black Sesame Mochi. Finely grind 1/2 cup of toasted black sesame seeds, and blend with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon high-quality salt. Coat the mochi balls generously with the combination.
- Peanut Mochi. Finely grind 1/2 cup toasted blanched peanuts, and blend with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon high-quality salt. Coat the mochi balls generously with the combination.
- Matcha Mochi. Merely mud some match powder by means of a high-quality sieve over the mochi balls.
- Coconut Mochi. Merely roll the mochi balls in dessicated coconut. Alternatively, combine 1/2 cup dessicated coconut with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon high-quality salt. Coat the mochi balls generously with the combination.
- With ice-cream and/or crimson beans. Serve small items of mochi with scoops of ice-cream and a spoonful of cooked and sweetened crimson beans.
Tips on how to Retailer Mochi
Mochi is finest eaten as quickly as it’s made, or on the identical day.
Retailer the mochi in an hermetic container at room temperature, and it’ll hold gentle for 2-3 days. Relying on what kind of flavouring you might have used, some condensation may happen.
You can too freeze freshly-made plain mochi by wrapping them individually in plastic wrap and storing them within the freezer. Merely defrost them at room temperature.
Don’t be tempted to retailer mochi within the fridge as it would harden and never be very nice to eat.
Do-it-yourself Mochi
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook dinner Time: 20 minutes
- Whole Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Makes 7-10 mochi balls
- Class: Dessert
- Technique: Steam
- Delicacies: Asian, Japanese
Straightforward do-it-yourself mochi served together with your favorite toppings. Mochi recipe with step-by-step pictures for Kinako Mochi, Peanut Mochi and Black Sesame Mochi.
Substances
For the Mochi
Kinako Mochi
Black Sesame Mochi
Peanut Mochi
Directions
To Make the Mochi
- Measure the dry components into a big bowl.
- Add the milk.
- Whisk till you might have a clean batter.
- Steam the batter for 20 minutes on excessive warmth. You probably have a steam oven, you possibly can place the entire bowl into the oven. In any other case, switch the batter to a bowl which is able to match right into a stove-top steamer.
- Alternatively, cowl the bowl with plastic wrap, poke just a few holes within the plastic, and microwave the batter on excessive energy for 3 minutes. Stir with a picket spoon, and microwave for an additional 3 minutes till the dough is cooked by means of.
- As soon as the mochi dough is cooked, it ought to have set utterly and be agency and bouncy to the contact. Use a picket spoon to combine the dough to verify that it’s cooked by means of. Should you see any liquid, cook dinner the dough for a bit longer.
- Whereas the mochi dough remains to be scorching, beat within the butter with a picket spoon. Preserve beating till all the butter is integrated.
- When the mochi dough is cool sufficient to deal with (however not chilly), use your arms to knead the dough right into a gentle ball. I like to recommend sporting food-safe disposable gloves for this job as a result of the dough may be very sticky.
To Form the Mochi
- Technique 1: The simplest technique is to make use of food-safe disposable gloves to form the mochi. Take a handful of dough and squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger to create small balls of dough. Pinch off the ends and drop the dough immediately into the mochi flavouring.
- Technique 2: Scrape the dough into a big piping bag, and snip off the top to create a reasonably broad opening (about 2 cm). Squeeze the dough out, reduce off small items of mochi with a pair of oiled scissors, and drop the mochi items immediately into the mochi flavouring.
- Technique 3: Scrape the dough onto a big sheet of baking paper. Use a pointy knife or dough scraper, which has been flippantly oiled, to chop off small strips or items. Switch the mochi items to the flavouring.
To Flavour the Mochi
- Combine the components for the flavouring of your alternative in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle a lot of the flavouring onto a big plate or small tray.
- As you’re shaping and reducing the mochi, drop it immediately onto the plate or tray with the flavouring. The flavouring will coat the mochi and forestall it from sticking to the plate.
- Use your arms to flippantly toss the mochi in order that it’s utterly lined within the flavouring.
Kitchen Notes
MAKE IT DAIRY-FREE
To make dairy-free mochi, substitute the milk for water, and omit the butter.
OVEN & STOVE TEMPERATURES
All recipes on this web site have been examined on an induction range and/or with a standard oven (i.e. an oven with out fan). All recipes on this web site use temperatures for a traditional oven, except in any other case talked about. Convection ovens (i.e. fan-forced ovens) are sometimes 20°C/70°F hotter than standard ovens, however please verify your producer’s handbook.
CONVERSIONS
To transform from cups to grams, and vice-versa, please see this useful Conversion Chart for Primary Substances.
