Mochi

Mochi is a sweet, chewy rice treat that hails from Japan. Serve these small, sweet cakes with a matcha hot chocolate or simply green tea. Use your leftover glutinous rice flour to make tang yuan, Chinese glutinous rice balls served for Lunar New Year that are similar to mochi (and are delicious year-round).

Traditionally made from cooked and pounded rice, mochi are also easily made with rice flour. Mochi are often stuffed—which technically means they're called daifuku—with sweet and savory fillings. Here, each ball is filled with a sweet red bean paste, but you're just as likely to see ice cream, a matcha green tea filling, or black sesame paste inside mochi. (Though the ice cream version is a more recent invention from Los Angeles.) While milk is typically not used, it gives the mochi added richness without being overwhelming. If you want a dairy-free version, use coconut milk instead.

For a twist on the classic, the mochi are coated in a mixture of kinako powder (roasted soy bean powder) and sugar to give them a sweet yet nutty taste. If you’re not a fan of kinako, you can omit it, and instead toss the mochi in a little cornstarch to keep them from sticking together.

For the best results, work with the mochi dough while it's still hot. This ensures it's pliable enough to knead, which increases the dough's elasticity. Store the mochi at room temperature since it will harden in the fridge. 

Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how it goes in the comments below!