These rice paste confections are everywhere in Japan and have a mellow, sweet flavor. Mochi is a new flavor in the United States, largely a result of the mochi-flavored ice cream trend. In Japan, the cakes or blocks are often eaten in New Year's soups or served baked with soy sauce. In the United States, mochi can be found at specialist confectioners in New York City and Chicago. Made with sweet rice flour, mochi is very pliant. However, the finished confection deteriorates quickly, so mochi needs to be eaten within 2 days of preparation, or the soft chewy consistency will be lost.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
20 minutes
+ 3 hours resting
+ 3 hours resting
Cook Time
5 minutes
Total Time
3 hours 25 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweetened red bean paste
- 1 cup sweet rice flour (mochiko)
- 1 tsp green tea powder (matcha)
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup cornstarch, for rolling dough
Directions
- Wrap the red bean paste in aluminum foil and chill in the freezer for at least 3 hours.
- Combine the sweet rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl.
- Stir in the water and sugar, mixing until smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes 30 seconds.
- Stir and then heat for another 15–30 seconds.
- Remove the red bean paste from the freezer and divide it into eight equal parts, shaping into balls.
- Working on a surface dusted with cornstarch, form the still-hot mochi paste into 2 tablespoon-size balls.
- Flatten each mochi ball, placing one of the pieces of frozen red bean paste in the center, then completely enclose red bean paste with the mochi and pinch mochi to seal.
- Sprinkle the formed balls with additional cornstarch and place seam-side-down in a paper muffin liner.
- Repeat the process until all the ingredients are used.
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