Have you heard of the rice sweet called mochi [餅]? They are chewy and sticky rice cakes similar to gum. In this article, we will explore everything about this essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine.
Mochi is made by pounding the sticky Japanese rice called mochigome until it becomes a dough. Basically, it is glutinous rice ground into a paste and then shaped. Mochi is a common ingredient in many Japanese dishes, desserts, and sweets.
It is possible to find different types of sweets made from mochi throughout the year all over Japan. Traditionally, it is part of the year-end and New Year festivities.
Different types of wagashi (traditional sweets) are made with mochi, including ice creams and soups. The most traditional mochi is a flattened white ball. To prevent it from sticking to your hands, it is dusted with flour.
A good way to enjoy mochi is to grill it and eat it with soy sauce and sugar; it’s a very common and delicious way.
Table of Contents
The origin of mochi
The exact origin of mochi is unknown, but it is believed to have originated from China, like everything in the world. Others believe that mochi has been present in Japanese culture for thousands of years since the Jomon Era.
Mochi is an essential item in year-end and New Year festivities; this tradition began in the Heian Era (794-1185) and soon after was used as offerings in religious ceremonies.
There are several theories to explain the name mochi; one claims it comes from the verb motsu [持つ], which means to hold or grab. Others assert that it is a divine food or relates to the term full moon (mochizuki) or stickiness (muchimi).
Sticky rice cakes similar to mochi can be found throughout Asia in China, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Korea, and the Philippines. All are made from glutinous rice, pounded and ground. Some are also used in annual traditions and festivities.
Mochitsuki – New Year Festival
The mochitsuki is a festival that involves people participating during the New Year to pound the rice until it becomes mochi. As a rite of passage into the new year, the collective pounding of rice performed on New Year’s Eve is emblematic: it represents the certainty of the reward for hard and cooperative effort.
The distribution of mochi during shogatsu represents the renewal of hope for abundance at the table throughout the entire year that is beginning. Mochitsuki is the traditional way to make mochi, which involves pounding whole grains of rice in a mortar called “usu“.
One should not make mochi on December 29, as it may bring bad luck. This is because the “ku” of the number 9 resembles words like pain [苦] and darkness [黒].
For the ceremony:
- The polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and cooked;
- The cooked rice is pounded with a pestle (kine) in a mortar (usu). Two or more people work in rhythmic movements, pounding, turning, and moistening the dough;
- The pounded dough is shaped into various forms, depending on the locality. In Osaka, it takes a spherical shape, while in Tokyo, it is cubic;
Although mochitsuki is not necessarily a religious celebration, many Japanese families celebrate the New Year by offering moti to deities in their household altars, which is why appliances for making moti can even be found outside Japan.
Making mochi with a pestle can be dangerous, as your hand is mere milliseconds away from being crushed by a wooden stick, as shown in the video below:
Different varieties of Mochi sweets
Kusa Mochi – Literally means grass, it has a green color flavored with mugwort (yomogi). There is also Kinako mochi, which is covered with roasted and ground whole soybean flour.
Daifuku [大福] – Daifuku is a Japanese sweet that consists of small balls of mochi filled with something sweet, usually anko (sweet red bean paste). Daifuku comes in various forms; some include strawberries, creating ichigo daifuku.
Ice Cream Mochi – These are small colored balls filled with ice cream. When produced by traditional methods, when frozen, they become as hard as a rock. Therefore, it is typically made with a special flour called mochiko that produces a similar texture. The first recipe was released in 1981 under the name Yukimi Daifuku.
Warabi Mochi – A jelly made from bracken starch and covered with kinako. Warabi does not contain rice but is widely considered a type of mochi.
Dango – A Japanese dumpling made from mochiko. Dango has a texture and flavor similar to mochi. It is usually served with green tea and has its own variations like Hanami, Mitarashi, Bocchan, and Denpun.
Uiro Mochi – A Japanese steamed cake made from rice flour and sugar. Another dessert that is not a true mochi but is called so due to its chewy texture.
Different varieties of dishes
Kirimochi or Kakumochi are blocks used as a basic ingredient in Japanese cuisine. They are often added to noodles, stews, or any dish you can imagine.
Oshiruko – A dessert soup made with adzuki beans and pieces of mochi.
Chikara Udon – The thick Japanese noodle made from wheat flour, this time topped with toasted mochi.
Zoni – A samurai soup made with vegetables. Zoni is usually a New Year’s dish.
Traditional and special Mochi
Kagami Mochi [镜饼] – A special New Year decoration in Japan to bring good luck and prosperity. It got its name because kagami is one of the three sacred objects of Japan.
Hishimochi – A diamond-shaped sweet served on Hina Matsuri (Girls’ Day). It has three layers of colors, where the red part is colored with jasmine flowers, the white with water chestnut, and the green with mugwort.
Sakuramochi – They are flavored and colored with cherry blossoms. They are usually filled with red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry leaf. In Osaka, they are made with a coarse rice flour and have a consistency similar to rice pudding. In Tokyo, sakuramochi has a softer texture.
Hanabira Mochi – Literally means Flower Petal, they are consumed on New Year’s Day and during the first tea ceremony of the New Year in a tradition started by the imperial family. It has a distinct shape with white on the outside and red on the inside.
The white is translucent to show the pink underneath, resulting in a delicate color meant to resemble the petal of a Japanese plum blossom. The interior is filled with anko.
Did you know about these different types of mochi? If you liked this article, share it and leave your comments!
Leave a Reply