How to Make Mochi Rice Cake

A chef prepares fresh mochi rice cakes.

Mochi originated in Japan and is now popular all over the world. The term "mochi" means "rice cake" in Japanese, and the dish is made from starchy steamed rice that is formed into a sticky dough and shaped into flat cakes. You can serve mochi fresh or even dry it for future use, since it hardens quickly. The Japanese even use mochi to decorate their homes during the Japanese New Year, and they impart a lot of cultural significance to this traditional food.

Things You'll Need

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Small pinch of salt
• Cornstarch or potato starch

Instructions

Preparing the Ingredients

1. Sift the rice flour to remove lumps and ensure smooth consistency of dough.

2. Mix the rice flour, water, sugar and salt to form a sticky, thick dough. You can add strawberry or grape jam to flavor and color the dough. A drop of food color will add a nice tint to your mochi rice cakes.

3. Keep dough covered at all times if not working with it immediately.

Cooking the mochi: Steaming

1. Grease a cookie sheet or baking pan with vegetable oil or cooking spray.

2. Pour the thick mochi dough into the pan, insert the pan into a steamer and steam it for 30 to 45 minutes, till the rice in the flour is cooked through. The dough will appear starchy and translucent.

3. Cool the dough till warm so that it is easy to knead.

Cooking the mochi: Microwave

1. Grease a microwaveable bowl with vegetable oil or cooking spray.

2. Pour the mochi dough into the greased bowl and microwave on high for 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Cool the dough till it's easy to work with.

Serving the Mochi

1. Dust your work surface with cornstarch. Knead the cooled mochi dough till soft and pliable.

2. Shape dough into mini-logs and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Fill or top dough with your favorite stuffing or topping.

3. Serve warm or chilled.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure you use glutinous rice flour to get proper consistency. Try cooking methods like grilling or frying to give a different taste to your mochi. Use various fruit toppings to add flavor to fresh or dry mochi. Roll and stuff mochi with your favorite flavor of ice cream.

• Work quickly to avoid drying out the dough.

References

• Mochi rice cakes

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Japanese rice mochi