Mochi 餅

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups short grain Japonica glutinous rice (sweet rice/Mochigome) (or 300g *1)
• 1/2 cup Mochi-toriko (such as potato starch or cornstarch) (*2)

Instructions

1. 1

   --- A night before pounding mochi ---

2. 2

   Wash the rice gently under running water, changing and draining the water a few times.

3. 3

   Soak the rice in the large bowl with plenty water overnight.

4. 4

   --- On the following day ---

5. 5

   Drain the soaking water.

6. 6

   Boil water: Start boiling water in a pot. *3

7. 7

   Prepare steamer: Prepare a bamboo steamer with lining a tightly squeezed wet kitchen cloth on the bottom of the bamboo steamer.

8. 8

   Place rice onto the prepared steamer: Place the drained rice over the kitchen cloth making a dent in the centre like a donut shape in order for the steam to evenly and efficiently move around the rice.

9. 9

   Steam: Put the prepared steamer over the boiling water in the pot and steam for 30- 45 min.

10. 10

    Heat off: Turn the heat off and empty the steamed rice into a bread machine. *4

11. 11

    Pounding: Put the lid on and press "knead" and set for 20 minutes. *5

12. 12

    Remove the mochi dough onto a tray with generous amount of mochi-toriko (potato starch/cornstarch) dusted.

13. 13

    Shape into small mochi balls, or into nice round/rectangle/square shapes and slice it 0.4inch (1cm) thick the next day. *6

14. 14

    Serve with red bean paste, sweet soy bean powder, or with grated daikon and soy sauce. *7