Matcha Red Bean Mochi & Coconut Red Bean Mochi

homemade mochi - the kitchen runner style

Walk into any asian grocery store or cafes, you are bound to find these yummy gems called "Mochi" - originated from Japan as one of the traditional foods to eat and during the New Years.   Since Mochi has taken on such a trend within the food industry everywhere, it would be impossible to continue to make mochi the old fashion way.

Like everything else, someone, somewhere had to capitalize on this trend in order meet the demands.  Sweet glutinous rice flour made it possible. Now anyone, anywhere can easily make mochi and fill it with whatever suits their fancy.  Best part?  Its ridiculously simple!   While I can jump up and down and applaud the one who commercialize sweet glutinous rice flour, there's another part of me that aches' for the lost beauty of true mochi making, known as mochitsuki.

In Japan, families would spend a whole day together making mochitsuki for the New Year.  Japanese short grain glutinous rice known as mochigome is rinsed and soaked overnight.  In the morning, the rice would be steamed in wooden frame boxes (known as seiro) stacked on top of one another and covered with a weighted down wooden lid.  Once cooked, the rice would be dumped in an usu - a deep wooden mortal made from a tree stump.  A team work of at least 2 people, 1 using a damn wooden mallet to pound the steam rice into a smooth, sticky elastic paste, the other, quickly dips a wet hand into the paste to turn.  One each, moving in rhythmic beats.  The act of pounding the steamed glutinous rice ensures each grain is punctured.  Below link is a short video on how mochi was made traditionally.  In small parts of Japan, it is still made like so but only consumed locally.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ThCY0VbZvA


As you can tell from the video only rice is used to make mochi.  Nothing else is added.  The true flavour of the mochigome is the focus.  Now with the sweet glutinous rice flour, it is impossible to retain the same flavour of freshly steamed mochigome, it does create similar texture so this is why flavours are added to enhance the enjoyment of this well loved dessert.

Hopefully, there will be a day where I will be able to enjoy the ancient arts of mochitsuki, in the meantime, we'll just have to accept the simplified, commercial version of this.

Surprisingly, there aren't many recipes online to make mochi so I had to result to just winging it, noting down the weight of each ingredient.

Batch 1 = Matcha Red Bean Mochi

Batch 2 = Coconut Red Bean Mochi

Both batches are made with different measurements of dried ingredients.  To make mochi using only the powder sweet glutinous rice results in a harder mochi therefore, tapioca flour is used to "soften" the mochi and create more elasticity in the texture.

You'll need the following ingredients:
1 bag (400g) of Glutinous Rice Flour - in the aisle of flour in any asian grocer
1 bag of tapioca flour -  in the aisle of flour in any asian grocer
rock sugar - asian grocer
1 165ml can of coconut milk
matcha powder
peanut oil/sunflower oil
fine desiccated coconut
1 can of red bean paste - product of Japan - in the ethnic aisle of asian grocer

Since I was testing the flour ratio in batches, I had prepped the liquid portion first for both batches.

In a medium size pot, add approximately 100g (or less if you wish) of rock sugar.  Add in 165ml of coconut milk, 165ml of milk, 100ml of water. Allow to simmer on low heat, stir.  Once rock sugar is fully dissolved, turn off heat.

Simmer on low heat until sugar dissolves

turn off heat once sugar dissolves

So let's start with Batch 1:  Matcha Red Bean Mochi :) 
1.  155g of glutinous rice flour : 30g of tapioca flour,   a 5:1 ratio
     2tsp of matcha powder

2.  Sift dry ingredients into bowl.

3.  In a large pot, fill water 2" from bottom, add a wire rack.  Allow to boil.

4.  Since I have no good size plate bowl to fit in pot, I put together a foil bowl.  Be sure to line with a layer of oil.  This will avoid the mochi from sticking onto the foil.  If you do have a plate bowl that fits perfectly in your pot, simply coat with oil and skip the foiling step.

5.  Let's get back to mochitsuki!  In the bowl of sifted dry ingredients, add 165ml of the coconut milk liquid prepared in the beginning and another 100ml of water.

6.  Mix together using a spatula.

7.  The consistency should be smooth and thick. Lift the spatula, allow the "batter" to fall, if it creates smooth, thick ribbons, you are good.   This only takes a couple mins to get to.

8.  Next, pour mochi into the foil bowl.

9.  By this time, the pot of water should be boiling.  Place the mochi onto a plate in the pot.  Cover and simmer on medium high heat for 15mins.

While Batch 1 is in the pot, I prepared for Batch 2 : Coconut Red Bean Mochi 

10.  In a clean bowl, sift together dry ingredients:
200g glutinous rice flour : 30g tapioca flour  approximately 6.5:1 ratio

11.  Add 2 x 165ml of the coconut milk.

12.  Mix with spatula until smooth and no lumps appear.

13.  Prepare another foil bowl.  Pour mochi.

14.  Once the timer for batch 1 has gone off, take out the now cooked mochi.  The cooked mochi now has a translucent appearance. :)  Put the Batch 2 mochi in the pot and cook for 15mins.

15.  While Batch 1 cools down, prep your working station with a silicone mat, a roller pin and medium size saran wrap.  Coat the silicone mat lightly with the glutinous rice flour.

16.  Let's open that can of red bean paste :)  I chose to purchase only product of Japan since their quality surpasses many others.  But honestly, you can make your own paste or purchase any other brand you wish.

17.  We can finally start making mochi!!  Place the semi - cooled matcha mochi onto silicone mat.

18.  Using a plastic blade or the back of a knife, cut and divide the mochi into pieces.

19.  Place one piece of mochi on one end on the saran wrap, cover and using the rolling pin, roll out flat but not too thin. Add a teaspoon of the red bean paste (anko in japanese :)

20.  Pitch the ends together to close up the filling with the help of the saran wrap.  In a separate plate of glutinous rice flour, roll out the mochi onto place and coat all over so it will not be sticky to touch.  Bounce the now coated mochi to dust off excess flour and place onto plate.  :) your first mochi!! :) Repeat steps 19 - 20 until finished.

21.  Turn off the heat for Batch 2. leave in pot until Batch 1 is complete. :)

22.  Batch 2 coating will consist of 1/4 cup of desiccated coconut and 1 tbsp of glutinous rice flour.

23.  So by now, Batch 2: Coconut Mochi should be cool to handle.  Repeat steps 17 - 20 until complete.

Finally! Mochi complete!!

So Batch 1 is the winner in terms of following the 5:1 ratio of dry ingredients.  You can tell, even from the picture, the matcha mochi is softer and more elastic than the 6.5:1 ratio of the coconut mochi.  So the addition of tapioca flour is essential to the glutinous rice flour :)

Enjoy!