by Karen Soo, Newsletter Editor
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape.
In Japan, it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year, and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.
Here is a microwave mochi that was taken from the Nisei Ski Club Recipe Book.
Enjoy!
Bon Appetite – Julia Child and Karen Soo share the same birthday.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mochiko
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups water
- katakuriko (potato starch)
- Pam spray
Directions
Mix mochiko, sugar, and water together in a bowl. The mixture will be thin. Pour the mixture into a microwave-proof container that has been sprayed inside with Pam.
Microwave at low power for 3 minutes, then microwave at medium power for 3 minutes, and finally microwaved at high power for 3 minutes.
Allow to cool for a few minutes (but don’t let it get cold or it will be hard to work with).
Spread some katakuriko on a cutting board and place the (still warm) “mochi blob” [my son’s term] on the board.
Shape the “blob” into a long sausage shape and cut pieces off. Roll the pieces in a little mochiko or katakuriko so they won’t stick to each other. Cool and eat.
*Also good rolled in kinako (soy bean powder). If you do this, allow the mochi pieces to cool before rolling in the kinako (or kinako may absorb moisture and get gummy).
