Mochi
Encyclopedia
Mochi is a Japan
ese rice cake
made of glutinous rice
(not to be confused with gluten
) pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year
and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. Mochi is also a prominent snack in Hawaii
, South Korea
, Taiwan
(where it is called 麻糬, Hokkien môa-chî or Mandarin máshu), Cambodia
, Thailand
, and Indonesia
.
Mochi can also be prepared from a flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water to a sticky opaque white mass that is cooked on the stovetop or in the microwave until it becomes elastic and slightly transparent.
and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku
is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste
(an) or white bean paste (shiro an). Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry
inside.
Kusa mochi
is a green variety of mochi flavored with yomogi (tansy)
. When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.
are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream
. In Japan this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte
under the name Yukimi Daifuku
, "snow-viewing daifuku". In the United States
the grocery chains Trader Joe's
, H Mart
, Lotte
, and Mollie Stone's sell mochi ice cream in flavors of chocolate, mango, coconut, green tea, coffee, red bean, vanilla, and strawberry. Mikawaya, a Japanese-owned company operating in Los Angeles
, manufactures the variety that is sold by Trader Joe's and Mollie Stone's. The New Central Market in Anchorage Alaska provides a variety of mochi and mochi ice cream products throughout Alaska. The Pinkberry
, Yogen Fruz
, Yogurtland
, Smackers, Tutti Frutti, Menchie's
and Red Mango
frozen yogurt chains also offer mochi as standard topping on their desserts (with Red Mango offering it on their secret menu), available upon request from customers. International frozen yogurt chains that offer mochi as a topping include Indonesia's J.CO Donuts
.
In the Philippines
, Palitaw
is derived from Japanese Mochi and coconut and sesame seeds are added to it.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese rice cake
Rice cake
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten, and are particularly prevalent in Asia. The origin of rice cake seems to be...
made of glutinous rice
Glutinous rice
Glutinous rice is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice, and pulut) is a...
(not to be confused with gluten
Gluten
Gluten is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat and related grain species, including barley and rye...
) pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year
Japanese New Year
The is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
and is commonly sold and eaten during that time. Mochi is also a prominent snack in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(where it is called 麻糬, Hokkien môa-chî or Mandarin máshu), Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
Preparation
Traditionally, mochi was made from whole rice, in a labor-intensive process. The traditional mochi-pounding ceremony in Japan is Mochitsuki:- Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and cooked.
- The cooked rice is pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu). Two people will alternate the work, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi. They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure one another with the heavy kine.
- The sticky mass is then formed into various shapes (usually a sphere or cube).
Mochi can also be prepared from a flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water to a sticky opaque white mass that is cooked on the stovetop or in the microwave until it becomes elastic and slightly transparent.
Confectionery
Many types of traditional wagashiWagashi
is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.Wagashi is typically made from natural ingredients...
and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku
Daifuku
', or ' , is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans....
is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste
Red bean paste
Red bean paste or Azuki bean paste is a sweet, dark red bean paste originating from China. It is used in Chinese cuisine, Japanese confectionery, and Korean cuisine. It is prepared by boiling and mashing azuki beans and then sweetening the paste with sugar or honey...
(an) or white bean paste (shiro an). Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
inside.
Kusa mochi
Kusa mochi
, also known as yomogi mochi, is a Japanese sweet. It is considered a seasonal dish for spring. It is made from mochi and leaf of yomogi , or more traditionally from the Gnaphalium affine . It may also be filled with red bean paste.Kusa mochi may also be used to make a kind of daifuku called yomogi...
is a green variety of mochi flavored with yomogi (tansy)
Artemisia princeps
Artemisia princeps, or Japanese mugwort, is a perennial, very vigorous plant that grows to 1.2 meters and is known as yomogi in Japan. This species spreads rapidly by means of underground stolons and can become invasive. It bears small, buff colored flowers from July to November which are...
. When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.
Ice cream
Small balls of ice creamIce cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream
Mochi ice cream
Mochi ice cream is a Japanese confection made from mochi with an ice cream filling.Originally created by Lotte, as Yukimi Daifuku in 1981, the company first made the product by using a rice starch instead of sticky rice and a type of ice milk instead of real ice cream. Mochi ice cream is now an...
. In Japan this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte
Lotte (conglomerate)
Lotte Co., Ltd. is a South Korean-Japanese Jaebeol and one of the largest food and shopping groups in South Korea and Japan. Lotte was established in June 1948, in Tokyo, by Japanese-educated, Korean businessman Shin Kyuk-Ho – also known as...
under the name Yukimi Daifuku
Yukimi Daifuku
Yukimi Daifuku is a brand of mochi ice cream manufactured by Lotte. It consists of a ball of vanilla ice cream wrapped in a thin layer of mochi, or rice cake. Lotte originally created Wataboshi , a bite-size ice cream wrapped in a thin layer of marshmallow in 1980...
, "snow-viewing daifuku". In the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the grocery chains Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California. , Trader Joe's had a total of 365 stores. Approximately half of its stores are in California, with the heaviest concentration in Southern California, but the company also has locations in 30...
, H Mart
H Mart
H Mart is an American supermarket chain operated by the Hanahreum Group, headquartered in Lyndhurst, New Jersey. The chain, with locations throughout the United States, specializes in providing Asian foods. The chain operates Super H Mart stores...
, Lotte
Lotte (conglomerate)
Lotte Co., Ltd. is a South Korean-Japanese Jaebeol and one of the largest food and shopping groups in South Korea and Japan. Lotte was established in June 1948, in Tokyo, by Japanese-educated, Korean businessman Shin Kyuk-Ho – also known as...
, and Mollie Stone's sell mochi ice cream in flavors of chocolate, mango, coconut, green tea, coffee, red bean, vanilla, and strawberry. Mikawaya, a Japanese-owned company operating in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, manufactures the variety that is sold by Trader Joe's and Mollie Stone's. The New Central Market in Anchorage Alaska provides a variety of mochi and mochi ice cream products throughout Alaska. The Pinkberry
Pinkberry
Pinkberry is a franchise of upscale frozen dessert restaurants headquartered in Los Angeles, California. There are currently over 100 stores, mostly located in Southern California, 14 in New York City, New York, two in New Orleans, Louisiana, two in Denver, Colorado, one in Colorado Springs,...
, Yogen Fruz
Yogen Früz
Yogen Früz is an international chain of frozen yogurt and smoothie stores that also serves healthy alternative food products. Through company-owned, franchised, and non traditional partnerships, Yogen Früz is the largest franchisor and licensor of stores and other locations that serve primarily...
, Yogurtland
Yogurtland
Yogurtland is an international franchise chain of frozen yogurt stores based in Anaheim, Orange County, California.Yogurtland offers self-serve soft-serve frozen yogurt with active cultures. Yogurtland has stores in seven states in the United States and in Mexico and Japan. In 2009, it had a...
, Smackers, Tutti Frutti, Menchie's
Menchie's
Menchie's is a frozen yogurt franchise based in the San Fernando Valley, California. Menchie's offers self-serve frozen yogurt with a large selection of yogurt flavors and toppings. Since its start in 2007, Menchie's has become a fast growing food chain with over 100 locations in the US and Canada....
and Red Mango
Red Mango
Red Mango is a frozen yogurt and smoothie brand known for its all-natural frozen yogurt, fresh fruit smoothies, yogurt parfaits, and probiotic iced teas. There are currently more than 145 locations in 25 states in the United States. And in 2011, Red Mango was named the #1 Zagat Rated chain in...
frozen yogurt chains also offer mochi as standard topping on their desserts (with Red Mango offering it on their secret menu), available upon request from customers. International frozen yogurt chains that offer mochi as a topping include Indonesia's J.CO Donuts
J.CO Donuts
J.CO Donuts & Coffee is a cafe retailer in Indonesia specializing in donuts frozen yogurt and coffee. The company is owned and managed by Johnny Andrean Group. J.CO Donuts & Coffee began trading in 2005.-Business growth:...
.
Soup
- OshirukoOshirukoRed bean soup refers to a number of traditional Asian soups, all made with azuki beans.-China:In China, red bean soup is a popular dish. The soup is commonly thinner than the Japanese oshiruko version. It is categorized as a tang shui糖水, , or sweet soup...
or ozenzai is a sweet azuki beanAzuki beanThe is an annual vine, Vigna angularis, widely grown throughout East Asia and the Himalayas for its small bean. The cultivars most familiar in north-east Asia have a uniform red color, but white, black, gray and variously mottled varieties are also known. Scientists presume Vigna angularis var...
soup with pieces of mochi. In winter, Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves. - Chikara udon (meaning "power udon") is a dish consisting of udonUdonis a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions...
noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi. - Zōni soupZoniZoni may refer to:Places:*Zoni, Democratic Republic of Congo*in Greece:**Zoni, Arcadia, a village in the west southwestern part of the prefecture of Arcadia**Zoni, Evros, a village in the northern part of the Evros prefecture...
. See New Year specialties below.
New Year specialties
- Kagami mochiKagami mochi, literally mirror rice cake, is a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It usually consists of two round mochi , the smaller placed atop the larger, and a daidai with an attached leaf on top. In addition, it may have a sheet of konbu and a skewer of dried persimmons under the mochi...
is a New Year decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called Kagami biraki (mirror opening). - Zōni soupZoniZoni may refer to:Places:*Zoni, Democratic Republic of Congo*in Greece:**Zoni, Arcadia, a village in the west southwestern part of the prefecture of Arcadia**Zoni, Evros, a village in the northern part of the Evros prefecture...
is a soupSoupSoup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
containing rice cakes. Zoni is also eaten on New Year's Day. In addition to mochi, zoni contains vegetables like taroTaroTaro is a common name for the corms and tubers of several plants in the family Araceae . Of these, Colocasia esculenta is the most widely cultivated, and is the subject of this article. More specifically, this article describes the 'dasheen' form of taro; another variety is called eddoe.Taro is...
, carrotCarrotThe carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange in colour, though purple, red, white, and yellow varieties exist. It has a crisp texture when fresh...
, honeywortCryptotaeniaCryptotaenia is a genus of two species of herbaceous perennial plants, native to North America and eastern Asia, growing wild in moist, shady places.-Species:*Cryptotaenia canadensis...
and red and white colored kamabokoKamabokois a type of cured surimi, a Japanese processed seafood product, in which various white fish are pureed, combined with additives such as MSG, formed into distinctive loaves, and then steamed until fully cooked and firm. The steamed loaves are then sliced and served unheated with various dipping...
. - KinakoKinako, also known as soybean flour, is a product commonly used in Japanese cuisine. Kinako is produced by finely grinding roasted soybeans into powder.Kinako, being composed of soybeans, is a healthy topping and flavoring which contains B vitamins and protein....
mochi is a mochi dish that is traditionally made on New Year's Day for luckLuckLuck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
. This style of mochi preparation includes roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, and then dipping it into water, and before finally briefly coating it in kinako (soy flour) with sugar.
Other
- DangoDangois a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko , related to mochi. It is often served with green tea.Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons...
is a JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese dumplingDumplingDumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may...
made from mochiko (rice flourRice flourRice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice. It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye....
). - WarabimochiWarabimochiWarabimochi is not true mochi but a jelly-like confection made from bracken starch and covered or dipped in kinako . It is popular in the summertime, especially in the Kansai region and Okinawa and often sold from trucks, similar to an ice cream truck in Western countries.- External links :* *...
is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from brackenBrackenBracken are several species of large, coarse ferns of the genus Pteridium. Ferns are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells . Brackens are in the family Dennstaedtiaceae, which are noted for their large, highly...
starch and covered or dipped in kinako (soybean flour) with sugar. It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike ice cream trucks in Western countries. - More recently, "Moffles" (a waffle made from a toasted mochi) has been introduced. It is made in a specialized machine as well as a traditional waffle iron.
In the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, Palitaw
Palitaw
Palitaw is a small, flat, sweet rice cake eaten in the Philippines. They are made from malagkit washed, soaked, and then ground. Scoops of the batter are dropped into boiling water where they float to the surface as flat discs - an indication that they're done...
is derived from Japanese Mochi and coconut and sesame seeds are added to it.
See also
- Japanese New YearJapanese New YearThe is one of the most important annual festivals, with its own unique customs, and has been celebrated for centuries. Due to the importance of the holiday and the preparations required, the preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before, known as Ōmisoka.The Japanese New Year has been...
- Kagami mochiKagami mochi, literally mirror rice cake, is a traditional Japanese New Year decoration. It usually consists of two round mochi , the smaller placed atop the larger, and a daidai with an attached leaf on top. In addition, it may have a sheet of konbu and a skewer of dried persimmons under the mochi...
- ZōniZoniZoni may refer to:Places:*Zoni, Democratic Republic of Congo*in Greece:**Zoni, Arcadia, a village in the west southwestern part of the prefecture of Arcadia**Zoni, Evros, a village in the northern part of the Evros prefecture...
- Hishi mochiHishi mochiis a symbolic Japanese sweet associated with the Hinamatsuri "Girl's Day" festival, which coincides with the calendar date for Xiuxi . The sweet is rhomboid in shape and typically formed from three layers of red, white, and green mochi, from top to bottom. Depending on region, the red may be...
- Kusa mochiKusa mochi, also known as yomogi mochi, is a Japanese sweet. It is considered a seasonal dish for spring. It is made from mochi and leaf of yomogi , or more traditionally from the Gnaphalium affine . It may also be filled with red bean paste.Kusa mochi may also be used to make a kind of daifuku called yomogi...
- HanabiramochiHanabiramochiis a Japanese sweet , usually eaten at the beginning of the year. Hanabiramochi are also served at the first tea ceremony of the new year.- Origin :The name "hanabiramochi" literally means "flower petal mochi"...
- DaifukuDaifuku', or ' , is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans....
- SakuramochiSakuramochiis a variety of wagashi, or Japanese confectionery consisting of a sweet pink mochi and red bean paste, covered with a leaf of sakura . The style of sakuramochi differs from the regions in Japan...
- ManjūManjuManju is a Sanskrit word with following associated meanings - pleasant, sweet, snow, beautiful, Lord Shiva's name, clouds, morning dew and is predominantly an Indian male/female/given name.Manju, means a language of clouds.That is Rain...
- SenbeiSenbeiare a type of Japanese rice crackers. They come in various shapes, sizes, and flavors, usually savory but sometimes sweet. Senbei are often eaten with green tea as a casual snack and offered to visiting house guests as a courtesy refreshment....
- Arare
- WagashiWagashiis a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.Wagashi is typically made from natural ingredients...
- Nian gaoNian gaoNiángāo, Year cake or Chinese New Year's cake is a food prepared from glutinous rice and consumed in Chinese cuisine. It is available in Asian supermarkets and from health food stores. While it can be eaten all year round, traditionally it is most popular during Chinese New Year...
- TteokTteokTteok is a class of Korean rice cakes made with glutinous rice flour , by steaming. Normal rice flour can be used for some kinds of tteok. There are hundreds of different kinds of tteok eaten year round...
, Korean rice cakes - Tangyuan
- UirōUirois a traditional Japanese steamed cake made of rice flour and sugar. It is chewy, similar to mochi, and subtly sweet. Flavors, among others, include azuki bean paste, green tea , yuzu, strawberry and chestnut...
- YōkanYokanis a thick jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. It is usually sold in a block form, and eaten in slices. There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan. "Mizu" means "water", and indicates that it is made with more water than usual...