How To Make Japanese Mochi Food

HOW TO: MAKE MOCHI

Steps:

• Prepare mochi mixture. Add rice flour, corn flour, sugar, ¼ tsp oil and water, mix well and allow this mixture to rest for 30 minutes.
• Steam mochi dough. Place the mixture in a steamer, cover with a clean cloth and steam for 15 minutes. Once the mixture is cooked, remove from steamer. Add in the remaining oil and mix well. Leave to cool.
• Knead the mochi. Transfer the mixture out onto a wax-paper lined traywhen warm enough to handle. Knead and stretch until the mixture is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 mins. Place the mochi in a bowl, cover with cling wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 15 mins.

HOW TO MAKE JAPANESE MOCHI

Steps:

• In a pot combine water and sugar bring it to a boil then turn heat off, set aside.
• Divide liquid into 4 parts then add drops of food colour on each container.
• Combine cornstarch and glutinous rice flour then place ¾ cups of this mixture to each container with liquid while still hot.
• Mix the each container until it forms a smooth dough. Form a small flat circle dough roughly the size of the diameter of a drinking glass, place a heaping tablespoon of the red bean paste then seal to form a sphere. Do it with the remaining dough.
• Place in a lightly greased steamer then steam for 5 minutes.
• Remove from steamer then roll in lightly toasted flour to avoid them from sticking together. Serve, you can enjoy them hot or cold.

HOMEMADE MOCHI

Steps:

• For the mochi dough base: Wash the rice gently until the water runs clear, 5 to 8 times, then drain. Cook the rice with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker according to the manufacturer directions for sushi/sweet rice, about 30 minutes.
• Place the cooked rice in a wooden or stone bowl. (I don't recommend stainless steel or plastic bowls, which will make the rice wet or too soft.) Smash the rice with a thick wooden stick or pestle. Use your hands to turn the rice and continue to pound with the stick until it is a smooth and sticky dough, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Portion out 20 to 24 mochi, about 2 tablespoons of dough per portion. Have a small bowl of water nearby to lightly wet hands if the dough is too sticky. Shape each portion into a round patty about 1 1/2 inches thick and dust each side of the mochi with mochiko or potato starch.
• For the mochi toppings: To make a sweet miso sauce, combine the miso, sugar and sake in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add your desired number of plain mochi and grill, brushing with soy sauce a couple of times on each side, until the mochi are caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Brush some of the remaining plain mochi (reserve some of them to serve with the sweet toppings) with about 1 tablespoon of the sweet miso sauce and top with a sprinkle of shichimi. To serve the savory mochi, wrap the soy-grilled and sweet miso-glazed mochi in nori and place on a plate or platter.
• For the sweet mochi toppings: Mix the kinako with the sugar in a small bowl. Dip to coat both sides of your desired number of mochi. Top each remaining plain mochi with adzuki paste, then sprinkle with the remaining kinako sugar, if desired. Serve on a plate or platter.

MOCHI ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Line a small baking sheet or an egg carton with plastic wrap. Scoop the ice cream into 8 tight round balls using a 1-ounce cookie scoop (about 2 packed tablespoons each). Freeze on the prepared pan or in the egg carton cups until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the parchment generously with cornstarch. (Use more cornstarch than you think you need - the dough will be very sticky.) In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, sugar, water and food coloring until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula, until a stiff tacky dough forms, 5 to 7 minutes. (It's OK if it looks lumpy at first; it will smooth out.) The dough should be very thick and feel slightly tough and rubbery.
• Transfer the dough to the parchment and dust the top generously with cornstarch. Place another piece of parchment over the dough and carefully press into a thin disk. Let the dough cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough into a large round or oval, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4- to 4 1/2-inch fluted or plain round cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Gather the scraps to cut out more rounds, dusting with more cornstarch as needed (you should have at least 8 rounds). Dust a plate with cornstarch; make sure the dough rounds are dusted with cornstarch, then stack them on the plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Assemble the mochi: Use plastic gloves if you have them. Line a small baking sheet or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, dust generously with cornstarch and place in the freezer. Fill a small dish with cool water. Working with one dough round at a time, gently brush off any excess cornstarch and place the round flat in your hand. Working quickly, place a scoop of ice cream into the center of the dough. Gently pull up the edges of the dough to enclose the ice cream, using a small dab of water if the seams aren't sticking. Gently stretch, twist and pinch the dough together at the seams to secure. Immediately place the mochi seam-side down in the cold pan in the freezer. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and ice cream balls. Cover the mochi with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Let soften for a few minutes before eating.