It’s almost the new year, so in Japan it’s time to make mochi and attract luck on you and your family – so here I share the tradition and a microwave-free recipe you can easily make at home.
The end of the year and the beginning of the new one represent two recurrences of extreme importance for the Japanese. December 31 and January 1 – Ōmisoka (大晦日) and Shogatsu (正月) are characterized by a series of traditions, however celebrations don’t include just these two days. At midnight on the 31st, bells are rung 108 times in temples, symbolizing the human desires and passions that should be removed in order to live a harmonious life. From that moment on, there will be a series of “firsts”: the first visit to the temple, seeing the first sunrise, the first meal of the new year.
The tradition of mochitsuki
Mochi are among the foods that the Japanese eat in the period of transition from the old to the new year. These small Japanese confectioneries are made with steamed and pounded glutinous rice. They can be sweet or savory, to be used in soups and are also common in other seasons. In January, it’s easy to find local pastry shops organising mochi pounding (mochitsuki – 餅つき) for the neighboorhood.
The preparation is simple, the practice is more complicated. The glutinous rice is left to soak overnight. Then, one hour before preparation, the rice is steamed for 45-50 minutes. A quarter of an hour before the start, the mortar is heated with hot water to prevent the rice from cooling down too fast. The rice is then poured into the mortar and is pounded until it becomes a paste.
At this stage of mochitsuki, one person swings a mallet to hit the rice and one person turns the rice at each swing. It’s amazing to see a mochitsuki because the whole process is very fast! To get to the end of the preparation you need to have great trust in your partner and be very coordinated. The pounding continues until the rice is combined into a sticky shiny dough. This dough is then placed on a cloth dusted with rice flour and form into the well known round shape.
Easy mochi recipe you can do at home
Although you can buy mochi online, making mochi at home is completely possible, fast and easy! You may find glutinous rice flour and red beans at most oriental food shops and supermarkets. Here I share my recipe for making mochi without microwave.
Ingredients:1 cup of glutinous rice flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of water. You can do more, but with these proportions.
Combine flour and water and stir. Put the dough in a pot and stir until the mochi becomes shiny and sticky. Add the sugar and stir again; you may want to remove the pot from direct heat and let the sugar dissolve with the residual heat. When the dough appears glossy, pour it over a shopping board dusted with corn or potato starch. Be careful because the mochi is sticky and hot, but it will cool quickly. Flour your hands and pick a small amount of mochi, create a ball and then flatten it. Place some red bean jam in the centre, close and reshape the ball. Continue until there’s no more mochi left. You can use the same molds for muffins or cupcakes to keep the shape of the mochi.
Ingredients for the red bean jam: 1 cup of beans, water at discretion and sugar to taste.
Boil at least once the beans to remove the sour taste; even better if you can repeat this for two or three times. Then, fill the pot so that the water covers the beans well (about 1/3 beans and 2/3 water): keep under control and add water if needed. Every half hour remove the foam. When you touch the beans and they are soft, add the sugar and stir. When the mixture thickens, remove from the heat and blend. Put in a container to cool.
Why mochi is considered a lucky food in Japan
There are few reasons why mochi is regarded as a lucky food in Japan. It is believed that making mochi with your family brings prosperity and strenghtens your bonds. Since the mochi is made ahead of New Year’s day as a decoration/offer, it is also said that eating it will bring you health all year round. In fact, by the time you’ll eat mochi, the buns will be hard to bite into!
Have you ever tried mochi?
FAQs
Kagami mochi is a Japanese traditional cake made up of two sticky rice cakes stacked on top of each other. This cake is offered to the gods on New Year's Day to show respect and receive blessings from them.
How was mochi traditionally 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.
How to make mochi the traditional way? ›
First, mochigome rice is soaked overnight and then steamed; the rice is ready to be pounded when it's soft enough to be cut with a chopstick. Then, the rice is placed into a usu – a big wooden or stone bowl – and massaged into a single ball.
Why do Japanese eat mochi in New Year? ›
Eating the mochi symbolizes a prayer for health and good fortune in the New Year.
Why is mochi important to Japanese culture? ›
Making and eating mochi has cultural significance in Japanese society. Rice appears during ceremonial functions and during celebrations, such as births, weddings, birthdays, and even funerals. Because Mochi consists of rice, the Japanese culture uses Mochi as a way to present gifts during important milestones.
What the heck is mochi? ›
What's Mochi? Mochi (pronounced MOE-chee) is a Japanese dessert made of sweet glutinous rice flour or mochigome. Mochi dough is often tinted with green tea powder (matcha) or other food colorings and wrapped around a sweet center to form a small, bite-sized confection with a chewy, smooth, elastic texture.
Why does my mochi get hard? ›
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.
Why is mochi not vegan? ›
However, some traditional mochi recipes may include additional ingredients that are not vegan-friendly. For example, sweet rice wine, also known as mirin, is sometimes used to enhance the flavor of mochi. It is important to be cautious when consuming mochi made with sweet rice wine, as it may contain fish derivatives.
What is a fun fact about mochi? ›
It was made out of red rice, and was used in religious rituals in the Shinto religion, as it was viewed as a “food of the Gods”. It's known for being a symbol of good fortune and happy marriages.
Is mochi okay to eat? ›
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. It's also a very good source of Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Copper, and Manganese.
mo·chi ˈmō-chē : a doughlike mass made from cooked and pounded glutinous rice used in Japan as an unbaked pastry.
Why is my mochi so 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!
What makes mochi special? ›
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.
What is original mochi made of? ›
Mochi is made of mochigome, a Japanese variety of sweet glutinous rice, that is soaked overnight, steamed, pounded into dough and molded into various shapes. Some sweet mochi confections contain fillings such as bean paste, ice cream or fresh fruit.
What is traditionally eaten in Japan during the Japanese New Year's Eve? ›
Toshikoshi soba is traditionally eaten the night before New Year's on New Year's Eve. The dish consists of buckwheat noodles in a soup with various toppings. Sometime the dish will be simply garnished with some green onions, other times it is topped with things such as tempura, nori, egg, or spinach.
What is the Japanese food tradition for New Year? ›
Osechi Ryori is the traditional food enjoyed on New Year's Day in Japan. The assortment of colorful dishes are packed and displayed in special stacking boxes called jubako. Every Osechi dish has a special meaning in welcoming the New Year.
What is Japanese good luck food for New Year's? ›
Kuri Kinton (Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Chestnuts)
By eating kuri kinton around New Year, Japanese people believe they may be prosperous in money or have good luck for the coming year.
What is one tradition used by Japanese during New Years? ›
One of the more traditional New Year's customs is Hatsumode, or the first shrine visit of the New Year. Many people go to visit a shrine on January 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, in order to pay their respects and also to wish for a happy and healthy year. The shrines tend to get very crowded, and families tend to all go together.
