![]() Here we’ll introduce 17 common (and not-so-common) types of Japanese mochi. To see how mochi is made, check out our video below where byFood host Shizuka makes traditional New Year's mochi. If you grill or boil it, it will return to its original stretchy and chewy consistency. Freshly-made mochi will become hard over time, so to preserve it, the mochi is pre-portioned and dried or frozen to keep for up to a year. Mochi can be made into small bite-sized pieces and eaten in many ways. Once smooth and stretchy, you can eat the mochi immediately. A group activity, the collaborative nature of making mochi brings people together. However, making mochi together with family and friends is still commonly practiced throughout Japan as a part of celebrating the Japanese New Year. Mochitsuki is hard work, but now of course there are machines to do this process. One person is needed to pound the mochi, and the other person to turn it over and add water to get the right consistency and texture. This pounding of the rice into mochi is called mochitsuki. Making mochi the traditional way involves a mortar and a heavy mallet with at least two people. Firstly, the mochigome is soaked in water overnight, then it is steamed, and finally mashed and pounded into its soft, sticky state. Mochi is made from glutinous, short-grain rice called mochigome (mochi rice), which is known for having a chewier texture than regular rice. ![]() A typical piece of mochi is a sticky and stretchy dough made of rice that has been pounded until smooth and can take on a variety of sweet and savory forms. Different regions of Japan have different mochi specialties and mochi is also widely used in home cooking. However, mochi is very versatile with endless flavor possibilities and is used in a number of different Japanese dishes. On its own, mochi tastes like rice but has a sticky, stretchy, soft, and chewy texture. Learn more about other iconic New Year's dishes in Osechi Ryori: Symbolic Japanese New Year Foods and Their Meanings. Now eaten all year round, mochi still has associations with various festivals and seasonal events throughout the year, such as Japanese New Year celebrations. The cake when eaten is mild and has a delicate texture that melts in your mouth. Along with the condiments, it offers a sweet kick with a tinge of smoky molasses and roasted nutty flavour.In ancient Japan, it was believed that mochi held a divine presence, so it was regarded as a sacred food that was eaten for health and good fortune. ![]() The mixture of agar and water is heated and set in moulds under refrigeration and is given no flavouring until the condiments are served. This oddly satisfying cake is exactly the shape of a raindrop or a water-droplet and has no colour. You have to mix the two condiments in each bite you take. This bouncy cake which looks like a water droplet is made with agar, which is a vegan alternative to gelatine and water. It is served with two condiments - one is roasted soybean flour known as Kinako and the other is a sugary syrup called Kuromitsu. Since the cake is made with only water and agar, it is believed to have no calories and is a very popular treat in Japan. It has no colour and those who have tasted it claim that it does not have any taste and therefore, is served with sweet and nutty accompaniments to add flavour. This squishy and jiggly cake looks nothing like the spongy cake you would imagine. Interestingly, this Japanese dessert looks like a raindrop and is transparent, hence the name. Originated in Japan, raindrop cakes are actually called as Mizu Shingen Mochi. ![]() Last year, something as unusual as a raindrop cake, left everybody stunned. It is not every day that you get to take a bite into a raindrop.
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