How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (2024)

  • Japanese

By

Chichi Wang

How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (1)

Chichi Wang

Chichi Wang wrote a variety of columns for Serious Eats including The Butcher's Cuts, in addition to other stories. Born in Shanghai and raised in New Mexico, Chichi took her degree in philosophy but decided that writing about food would be more fun than writing about Plato.

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Updated May 15, 2019

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How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (2)

This Sunday marks the Lunar New Year for the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Korean cultures. While no single dish can represent the diverse practices of each cuisine, rice is a common thread, a symbol of wealth and plenty. This year, I'm making mochi, which is always fashioned from glutinous sweet rice. The grains of rice develop an especially sticky surface when cooked. So sweet and dense, the kernels taste appropriately gluttonous on special occasions.

"Making mochi at home is a completely manageable, albeit sticky, activity."

In Japan and Korea, the rounds of glutinous rice, known as mochi and tteok, respectively, are indulgently gooey affairs. The cakes, which can either be sweet or savory, are steamed, pounded, or pan-fried.

Store-bought versions are usually coated with too much starch and can taste like chemicals or waxy fillings. The homemade version, however, is one of my favorite treats: soft and chewy with the sweetness of glutinous rice coming through, freshly pounded mochi is not to be missed. And, despite its opaque appearance, making mochi at home is a completely manageable, albeit sticky, activity. The steps and recipe ideas, after the jump.

Ingredients

  • Glutinous sweet rice
  • Potato or rice starch

Directions

  1. In a food processor or spice grinder, coarsely process the glutinous sweet rice. Soak the rice in a large bowl of water for an hour, then arrange the drained rice on a steamer insert fitted with muslin or cheese cloth.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (3)

  2. Steam the rice for 40 to 45 minutes, until the broken grains of rice are translucent. Let rest in the steamer insert for 5 minutes.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (4)

  3. With wet fingers, transfer the cooked rice to a mortar and pestle.

    Depending on the size of the bowl, you may need to complete this step in batches. Pound the rice in an up-and-down fashion for 10 minutes or so.

    As you continue to pound the rice, have a bowl of warm water ready to add to the bowl if needed. The rice should be somewhat moist, but not wet, as you pound it. By the end of the pounding process, the rice will be one cohesive, sticky mass.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (5)

  4. Sprinkle potato or rice starch over your work surface. Wet your hands again and transfer the mochi to the surface. Now make sure your hands are completely dry and cleaned of residual sticky rice. Lightly knead the mochi, adding more potato starch as needed, until the mass of rice is no longer extremely sticky to the touch. Divide the mochi into 2-inch balls, rolling each around in a thin layer of starch.

    If you want to fill the mochi, use red bean paste or another filling of your choice. (I like mixing the highest-quality peanut butter and honey.) Flatten the ball of mochi and place a teaspoonful of filling in the center. Gather the ends of the circle together and roll again to form a ball with the enclosed filling. Eat as is, or proceed with toasting. In this form, the mochi can be kept underneath a wet towel for 10 to 12 hours. If you intend to the toast the mochi later, the rounds of rice can be stored for 24 hours.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (6)

  5. Heat a heavy skillet or pan. Place each round of mochi onto the pan. You may either leave the mochi in its spherical form or use a spatula to flatten the mochi. Toast the bottoms of the mochi until they are golden brown, taking care not to move or disturb the balls as they cook. If the mochi is prematurely moved, the surface will not have time to harden and the balls will stick to the pan. Continue to toast the mochi on all sides.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (7)

  6. Eat the plain toasted rounds of mochi dipped in soy sauce or sugar. Or, place the balls of mochi in soup for a New Year's dumpling soup, where they will absorb the flavors of the broth. Eat the soup immediately upon serving to fully experience the delicate balance of the crisp, charred surface to the gooey, soft interior. The filled and toasted rounds of mochi may be eaten as they are.

    How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (8)

Special equipment

food processor or spice grinder, mortar and pestle

How to Make Mochi by Hand Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How is my mochi made? ›

Make mochi: Combine flour, sugar, and powdered sugar in a microwave safe bowl. Add water and stir well until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave mochi dough for 1 minute. Wet your spatula to prevent sticking and use your spatula to repeatedly fold the mixture.

Can you make mochi with regular flour? ›

Can you make mochi with regular flour, or without using rice or rice flour? Short answer: No. Long answer: Still no, but there are scientific reasons why. Today, I'll break down what mochi actually is, and why it can't be made without actual rice flour.

What is mochi dough made of? ›

Mochi is a bun-shaped Japanese dessert made from sweet glutinous rice flour, or mochigome. It has a soft, chewy texture that is somewhat elastic. Mochi is often flavored with matcha (or green tea powder), which gives it a light green hue.

Why is my mochi too sticky? ›

If you're wondering why it's so sticky the answer is the same as why most common glues are sticky: the molecules in the mochi are forming weak hydrogen bonds with everything they touch, even your skin!

How was mochi made? ›

Traditionally, mochi is made by pounding steamed short-grain Japanese sticky rice, called mochigome, with a wooden mallet during a ceremony called mochitsuki. This aerates and pulverizes the rice, which is what gives mochi its beloved texture.

Is mochi raw dough? ›

The cakes, known as mochi, are cute round buns made of soft and chewy rice. The rice is first steamed and then pounded and mashed. The resulting sticky rice mass is then formed into the final mochi shape and baked or boiled.

Is homemade mochi healthy? ›

When you combine rice and seaweed, mochi is low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol. It is also a good source of Vitamins A, C, E (Alpha Tocopherol), and K, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, and Phosphorus.

How long does homemade mochi last? ›

How Long Does Fresh Mochi Last? Fresh mochi and homemade mochi can get hard/go bad quickly. It's best to consume it within 1-2 days if you leave it at room temperature. Otherwise, you can extend its life by storing mochi in the fridge.

Is making mochi expensive? ›

Making your own is incredibly easy because sweet glutinous rice flour costs about only $1 per 16 oz. pack. A pound can easily make 40 pieces of mochi.

What makes mochi so chewy? ›

Mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet treat made from glutinous rice that has been pounded into a sticky, chewy, and slight gummy dough. The word “mochi” comes from the Japanese verb “motsu” which means “to pound”, and this process of pounding the rice is what gives mochi its unique texture.

Is mochi healthier than ice cream? ›

The average mochi ball is about 100 calories. Whereas filling up a bowl of ice cream might equate to over 350 calories, a small 100 calorie snack won't throw off your weight loss goals. A small taste of indulgence will keep you motivated and happy throughout the day.

What makes mochi stretchy? ›

Mochi stretches because the properties of the starch content (amylopectin) change, causing it to become soft and stretchy as it absorbs water. This transformation requires not only starch but also moderate levels of moisture and heat.

How do you keep mochi from sticking to your hands? ›

PRO TIP: rub a little butter over your hands to prevent the mochi from sticking; you can also wear food-safe gloves to make this process easier! Dust the toasted glutinous rice flour over the surface area to prevent it from sticking over the rolling pin and your workstation.

How do you keep homemade mochi soft? ›

However, by adding butter to the mochi skin, the skin will stay soft and chewy after keeping in the fridge for 2 days. You can also use coconut oil to substitute butter. If the mochi dough is too sticky to be kneaded, keep the dough in the fridge for about 15 minutes until it cools down.

Can you use cornstarch for mochi? ›

yes!!! 1-mochi dough is very sticky, so don't be shy using your cornstarch! It will help you handle the dough.

Is my mochi real? ›

In Japanese society, a rice dough named “mochi” was known for being extremely sweet, and also satisfying hunger extremely well. Pastries from My/Mochi were often made with mochi, until one day, they created a recipe that include that sweet, sweet rice dough and premium ice cream in the center.

How does mochi get its texture? ›

Mochi is made from glutinous, short-grain rice called mochigome (mochi rice), which is known for having a chewier texture than regular rice. Firstly, the mochigome is soaked in water overnight, then it is steamed, and finally mashed and pounded into its soft, sticky state.

Are you supposed to eat mochi frozen? ›

Should I eat mochi ice cream frozen? Mochi ice cream should be slightly frozen when eaten. Although it shouldn't be completely frozen and solid, it should still be soft and cold.

Who makes my mochi? ›

My/Mochi Ice Cream is an American ice cream brand sold in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The company was founded in 2015, after private equity firm Century Park Capital Partners bought Mikawaya, a Los Angeles–based confectionery company that is credited with the invention of mochi ice cream.

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