How to eat mochi
Every year people in Japan DIE from choking on mochi because it’s so sticky. Yep -that’s the way to go, eating something I love. Regardless of the death factor, mochi is traditional good luck food, it seems simple, but if you’ve never had it before here are a few different ways to eat it…
Ozoni:
After the giant mochi making fest – the most traditional way is to eat it in Ozoni aka ‘good luck’ soup for Oshogatsu on the morning of January 1st. Everyone makes theirs differently, mine is full o’ color:
Toasted:
Let’s go old skool here. In January I serve this to the kids for breakfast. Mochi toasted in an oven so it gets nice and warm and crisp, then served with soy sauce and sugar. (Really, it’s a teriyaki sauce base if you think about it.)
Or…and this is how family eat it in Hawaii: I pan fry the mochi in a tiny bit of butter, then serve it with a mixture of kinako and sugar.
An Mochi:
My fave – sweet filled mochi. These are filled with an aka azuki bean (sweetened red bean paste) or white lima bean paste. I’ve even seen more modern versions filled with peanut butter for the kiddies. Me – I only eat the pink ones.
You can buy it in the stores or make your own. (recipe, here)
Mochiko:
Sweet Rice Flour
Mochi balls:
This is how most people are familiar with mochi, as a topping in the ever popular frozen yogurt craze. Personally, I prefer mine Hawaiian-style on Root Beer shave ice w/ice cream and mochi balls. YUM.
Mochi Ice Cream:
Another familiar form of mochi, Mochi Ice Cream served and priced high at a lot of Japanese restaurants. But *I* can tell you where you can get mochi filled with GELATO. Shh. It’s like crack – I’m your pusherman.
As you can tell, I know my mochi. I plan on eating a lot more of it in the coming new year too!
17 Responses to “How to eat mochi”
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Hi Jenn,
I’ve got a technical but stupid question: how do you toast mochi in the oven? I (and my mom) usually nuke it in the microwave. Toasting it would be great with that crispy edge. What temp. and do you use a nonstick pan?
Cyndi
@Cyndi
I just put it on a piece of nonstick foil in a toaster oven, turn it on toast and watch it carefully. It will start to puff up. Once it puffs to the point of browning, I take it out.
what about mochi filled with red bean paste? That’s traditional in Japan, and it’s my favorite way to eat it. 🙂
Did I miss it? Where is the mochi filled with gelato? MUST TRY! Also, my dad just gave me some mochi to give to our one year old, I bet she’ll love it, once it’s cooled past the “lava that sticks and burns your face off” stage. We’ve only done the oven toast, thanks for the great ideas!
@anon
That’s AN mochi!
I love mochi and I introduced it to my kids when they were still very young so they would get used to the chewy texture.
Not many Irish people like that kind of texture (I come from Indonesia but I live in Dublin – Ireland).
In Indonesia we have our own versions, the popular ones are filled with sweetened grated coconut and sweetened coarsely ground peanut served in ginger soup.
Our friend Sandra’s family put a good size fresh mochi ball in the George Foreman grill and made a great little crispy mochi toast. They said this is a way they often eat their mochi. YUM!
Jenn,
Thanks for info on the toaster over use for mochi. Gotta’ run out to Target and pick one up ASAP! That and some nonstick foil.
how do you make the mochi balls shown above in the shaved ice? they are so moist and not dry like the ones at the yogurt places.
@Nikki
You boil it in sugar water and sort of let the mochi balls soak in it like a sugar-y soup until you use them. SO GOOD.
Aloha Jenn,
We had a mochi party and made pumpkin, chocolate brownie, and blueberry mochi. They were a hit! What do you think of a lemon mochi (like a lemon square)?
i second amber’s question! where can you get mochi with gelato in the middle?
is it in socal?! because if it is, i will absolutely freak out and die of happiness. :o)
@Kathy
That may work – especially since it’s LEMON WEEK right now! I’ll try it out and get back to you. 😉
@fingerpistol @amber
Sorry I thought I answered this! The mochi filled with gelato is available fresh daily at Mikawaya downtown in Little Tokyo. They were the ones who invented mochi ice cream, so it’s fitting that they’ve come up with gelato mochi!
Now you’ve got me thinking again about Mochiko. I’m so going to make your chicken. Still my favorite is Mochilato. I go to the one in Irvine. It’s close and they have my favorite flavors: hazelnut and pistachio. Yummmmmmy.
This might sound like a dumb question, but can you toast an mochi?
@Jess Absolutely. Place a piece of non-stick foil on the rack in your toaster oven. Turn on to “toast” or broil and watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. Once it starts to puff up and brown, it’s ready!