Mochi Madness: Part One

(All recipes in this post are courtesy Kobayashi Chikashi)

Rice is the staple food in Japan (and all of Asia for that matter). Things made of rice are also way up on the list of most used Japanese food stuffs, like sake and mochi. Mochi is the product of much labor as it is glutinous rice pounded literally to a pulp and then formed into assorted shapes. This rice is a variety unique to Japan called, appropriately, Japonica. Japonica is a sweet and very glutinous rice used in various Japanese dishes, like onigiri, sushi, and is especially suited for mochi.

Along with various shapes highlighted in mochi are the various colors. Pink is sakura-mochi which is mochi flavored with cherry blossoms and is eaten on March 3rd; Hina Matsuri (Girl’s Day) in Japan. Green is kusamochi which is mochi made with yomogi leaves (mug wort) and is typically eaten in the spring. There is also a brown variety called kibi mochi which is a mixture of brown rice and glutinous millet. The white variety of mochi, plain though it is, is considered sacred in Japan (like all rice) and plays the biggest part in ceremonies and festivals.

Mochi is featured in many dishes throughout the year but it plays a special part in the Japanese New Year festivities. When New Year comes around, households will either make or purchase a large mochi called a kagami mochi and place it in a place of prominence in the home. A mikan (Japanese tangerine) is then placed on top of the mochi. The family will then partake of the mochi throughout the New Years celebrations. Recently, however, the traditional kagami mochi has been replaced in many households with a mochi-shaped plastic receptacle wherein smaller edible mochi are kept. This keeps the mochi fresher and less likely to mold or attract pests.

Along with having a larger than life mochi sitting around the house, the Japanese prepare many dishes that feature mochi, such as zoni (a soup served at meals) and zenzai (a dessert style soup). Today’s recipes highlight two common mochi desserts served throughout the year and during New Years.

Oshiruko is azuki (sweet red bean) soup. It can be made topped with chestnuts or shiratama (Japanese sweet rice dumplings). When mochi are added to the soup it becomes zenzai.

ZENZAI

Ingredients:

• 1 small (about 14.11 oz) bag of anko (red bean paste)
• 2/3 cup of water
• A pinch of salt (to taste)
• 6-8 plain mochi squares or circles (you can the other flavors but I haven’t tried that yet)
• Umeboshi (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Empty anko paste into medium sauce pan.
2. Add water and stir thoroughly to dissolve the anko. Stir continuously or you’ll burn the anko since it has a very high sugar content. Heat through, about five minutes.
3. Place mochi on top of a wire rack that’s been placed inside a cookie sheet. Make sure they’re at least two inches away from each other.
4. Toast mochi for eight minutes or till they get fairly puffy, like the picture.
5. Flip mochi over (Chikashi uses chopsticks but tongs will do) and return to oven for an additional two minutes or until it’s puffy like the pics.
6. Ladle one cup of hot anko into a bowl and place a mochi or two on top. Serve immediately with or with or without umeboshi. (The umeboshi acts as a counter to the incredibly sweet anko. Taking a bite in between spoonfuls helps counter the sugar shock.) You can add more mochi to the zenzai as they are eaten.

*Note: You could nuke the mochi in the microwave for 10 seconds, flip, then another 10 seconds or till puffy.

I liked the zenzai since it:

• Super tasty
• Has a unique and rich texture
• Has some health benefits
• Makes a good presentation
• Is a traditional Japanese New Year’s dish

I didn’t like it because it’s:

• Like eating sugar soup

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Ingredient Availability: Moderate to Difficult

Kinako is a protein rich (38%!!) and incredibly delicious powder made from soybeans. It has a rich nutty flavor that’s almost indistinguishable from peanut butter. Kinako is featured in many Japanese desserts, but especially mochi as it is the perfect accompaniment for the sticky treat. Abekawa mochi is plain mochi that has been dipped in a sweetened mixture of kinako. Abekawa mochi got its name from the Abe River where the popular mochi was sold.

ABEKAWA MOCHI

Ingredients:

• ½ cup of kinako
• ¼ cup sugar (to taste) Some folks like the kinako really sweet, some don’t; add more or less depending.
• Pinch or more of salt
• 3-4 mochi (whichever kind you like)
• Boiling water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a shallow bowl, blend together the kinako, sugar and salt with a fork. Set aside.
2. Toast mochi as in Steps 3-5 for the Zenzai. Set aside.
3. Pour boiling water into a bowl and dip the toasted mochi in the water for a few seconds with chopsticks or tongs.
4. Roll moistened mochi in the kinako mixture until it is thoroughly covered. Serve immediately. (You could wait till it cooled completely, but, meh, I think it tastes better warm and gooey)

A variation on Abekawa is to cut back on the sugar, omit the salt, and substitute soy sauce for the water.
< em>*Note: You could nuke the mochi in the microwave for 10 seconds, flip, then another 10 seconds or till puffy.

I loved the Abekawa mochi because it:

• Has some nutrients and a ton of protein
• Very easy to make
• Has great texture
• Tastes divine
• Very filling
• Tastes like peanut butter!

I have nothing bad to say about Abekawa mochi; it’s all good.

Time: 13 minutes
Difficulty: Very Easy
Ingredient Availability: Moderate to Difficult

On the subject of kinako usage, Chikashi translated the back of the kinako package so we could know what the recipes on the back were. The two included are:

Kinako Drink:

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of milk (“real” or soy)
• 1 tablespoon of kinako
• Sugar or honey to taste

Directions:

1. Stir the two together until dissolved. Add sugar or honey to taste.

Kinako Spread:

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of kinako
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Directions:

1. Mix together; spread on bread or whatever.
   (Since kinako tastes remarkably like peanut butter, it would make a healthy substitute to the allergy inducing, fat-laden nut.)

I love mochi. It’s tasty, good for you and incredibly versatile; mochi is like the MacGuyver of Japanese cooking! Tune in next month as we explore the savory uses for mochi.