Ozenzai With Mochi Balls Food

EASY MOCHI

Steps:

• Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Mix sweet rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in water, then sugar. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Cook the rice flour mixture in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide paste into 8 equal balls. Set aside. Stir rice flour mixture and heat for another 15 to 30 seconds.
• Dust work surface with cornstarch. While the mochi is still hot from the microwave, begin rolling balls the size of about 2 tablespoons. Flatten the mochi ball and place 1 frozen red bean paste ball in the center. Pinch the mochi over the red bean paste until the paste is completely covered. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi seam side down in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the mochi and red bean paste is used.

OZONI (MOCHI SOUP)

Steps:

• Make the chicken stock: Rinse the chicken parts. In a pot, bring the chicken, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 2 quarts water to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to cook at a low simmer for 30 minutes, reducing the heat as needed to prevent a full boil (which would cloud the broth).
• Strain the broth and discard the chicken or reserve the meat for another use. Add the mirin to the broth and set aside.
• Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the satoimo and blanch until the skin is soft enough to slip off easily, about 3 minutes. Drain the satoimo, then use a spoon to scrape off the skin. Slice the satoimo into ¼-inch-thick rounds, then transfer them to a small saucepan. Add enough of the chicken broth to cover. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce the heat to simmer until soft, about 15 minutes.
• In lacquerware soup bowls or other small bowls, neatly arrange mizuna, satoimo and 1 or 2 slices of Naruto. Peel one or two long strips from the yuzu, then cut the strips very thinly crosswise. In a medium saucepan, reheat the chicken stock. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
• To serve, heat the mochi until puffy and soft, for a few minutes in a toaster oven or under the broiler, or 30 seconds on high in a microwave, and add it to the bowls. Immediately ladle about 1/2 cup hot broth into each bowl - before the mochi hardens - and garnish with a pinch of yuzu peel.

OZENZAI WITH MOCHI BALLS

Steps:

• Make the mochi balls:.
• Mix the shiratama flour with a small amount of water and mix. Add water until a dough forms that feels like your earlobe. It should hold its shape, but be soft.
• Boil a pot of water and add the mochi balls, reduce heat to medium, cook until the mochi balls float.
• Drain the mochi balls. Put the mochi balls into cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside until needed for the soup.
• Make the red bean soup:.
• Combine the an, water, sugar, and salt in a pan. Bring to a gentle simmer. The soup should be very thick, about the consistency of a rich spaghetti sauce. If necessary, mix the corn starch into a tablespoon of cold water and add to the soup to thicken a bit. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. It should be sweet.
• Drain the mochi balls.
• Into each of four bowls, put in two mochi balls and pour over a portion of the red bean soup.

ZENZAI - DANGO IN AZUKI

Steps:

• Pick over and wash the azuki, then put them in a pan with 6 cups of water. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours until the beans are soft.
• Add more water to the pan to make the liquid up to 5 cups (some of the water will have evaporated during cooking). Add the sugar and salt and cook for 15 minutes , stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, make the dumplings : Mix the mochiko with enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead well, then pinch off tiny portions to form small balls, about the size of marbles. Make a small indentation in the side of each dumpling.
• Bring the azuki soup back to the boil, then drop the dumplings into the soup. Cook until the dumplings rise to the surface. Divide between warmed individual bowls. Serve hot.