Have you heard of the rice sweet called mochi [餅]? They are chewy and sticky rice cakes resembling gum. In this article, we will see everything about this essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine.
mochi is made by pounding the sticky Japanese rice called mochigome until it turns into a dough. Basically, it is glutinous rice ground into a paste and then molded. Mochi is a common ingredient in many Japanese dishes, desserts, and sweets.
You can find different types of sweets made from mochi throughout the year in every corner of Japan. Traditionally it is part of the end of year and new year festivities.
Different types of wagashi (traditional sweets) are made with mochi, there are even ice creams and soups. The most traditional mochi is a flattened white ball. To prevent it from sticking to the hand, it is dusted with flour.
A good move is to grill the mochi and eat it with soy sauce and sugar, is a very common and delicious way.
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the origin of mochi
The exact origin of mochi is unknown, but it is believed to have originated in 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 object in the festivities of the end and beginning of the year, 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 of them claims that it comes from the verb motsu [持つ] which means to hold or to take. Others assert that it is a divine food, or it is related to the word full moon (mochizuki) or stickiness (muchimi).
Similar sticky rice cakes are found all over Asia in China, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Korea and the Philippines. All are made from glutinous rice, beaten and ground. Some are also used in annual traditions and festivities.
Mochitsuki - New Year Festival
The mochitsuki is a festival that involves the participation of people during the New Year, to pound the rice until it becomes mochi. As a rite of age into the new year, the collective pounding of rice done on New Year's Eve is emblematic: it represents the certainty of the reward for hard and collaborative work.
The distribution of mochi in shogatsu represents the renewal of the hope for abundance at the table throughout the year that is restarting. mochitsuki is the traditional way of making mochi, which consists of pounding whole rice grains in a mortar called "usu".
You shouldn't make mochi on the 29th of December as it can bring bad luck. This is because the “ku” in the number 9 resembles words like pain [苦] and darkness [黒].
for the ceremonial:
- The polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and cooked;
- The cooked rice is kneaded with a bunch (kine) in a bowl (use). Two or more people work in rhythmic movements kneading, turning, and moistening the dough;
- The macerated dough is molded into various shapes, depending on the location. In Osaka it takes a spherical shape, in Tokyo the shape is cubic;
Although mochitsuki is not necessarily a religious celebration, many Japanese families celebrate the age of the year by offering moti to deities in their household altars, which is why appliances that make moti can be found even outside Japan.
Making mochi with a pestle can be dangerous, as your hand takes milliseconds from being crushed by a wooden stick, as shown in the video below:
Different varieties of sweet DE Mochi
Kusa Mochi - Literally meaning grass, it has a green color flavored with mugwort (yomogi). There is also the Kinako mochi what is covered with toasted and ground whole soybean flour.
Daifuku [大福] – Daifuku, is a Japanese candy that consists of small balls of mochi stuffed with something sweet, usually anko (dzuki bean paste). The daifuku appears in several different forms, some put strawberry creating the Ichigo daifuku.
mot ice creami - They are small colored balls filled with ice cream. When produced using traditional methods, when frozen, it becomes 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 jam made from fern starch and covered in kinako. Warabi does not contain rice, but is widely considered a type of mochi.
Dango – A Japanese dumpling made from mochiko. Dango has a similar texture and flavor to mochi. It is often served with green tea and has its own variations such as Hanami, Mitarashi, Bocchan and Denpun.
Uiro Mochi – A Japanese baked cake made from rice flour and sugar. Another dessert that isn't a true mochi, but is named for its rubbery 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 - O thick noodles Japanese made from wheat flour, this time covered with toasted mochi.
zone – A samurai soup made with vegetables. Zoni is often a New Year's dish.
Traditional and special mochi
Kagami Mochi [镜饼] - A special decoration for the Japanese New Year to bring good luck and prosperity. It got its name because kagami is one of three sacred objects from Japan.
Hishimochi - A diamond-shaped sweet to be served in the 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 typically filled with red bean paste and wrapped in a pickled cherry leaf. In Osaka, they are made with coarse-grain rice flour and have a consistency similar to rice pudding. In Tokyo, sakuramochi has a smoother texture.
Petals Mochi - Literally meaning Flower Petal, they are consumed on New Year's Day and at the first tea ceremony of the New Year in a tradition started by the imperial family. It has a distinctive shape with white on the outside and red on the inside.
The white is translucent to show the pink below, resulting in a delicate color thought to resemble the petal of a Japanese plum blossom. The interior is filled with anko.
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