Homemade Mochi Recipes

Steps:

• In a bowl (I use a souffle-size bowl, around 2 cups) stir together the rice flour and sugar.
• While mixing with a spoon or small stiff spatula, pour in the boiling water.
• Stir in clockwise direction until the lumps disappear, and the batter is slightly elasticky, about 2 minutes (note: it will become difficult to stir, but try your best anyway!).
• Cover the container with plastic wrap, and microwave on HIGH for 2-4 minutes, depending on your microwave.
• Meanwhile, grease a ziploc bag well.
• Invert the bag (oil side out), and remove the mochi from the bowl into the bag (you can let it cool a bit before you do this, but the more you cool it, the harder the bowl will become to clean =/). Don't burn yourself!
• While the mochi is still warm, start kneading. To knead: Stretch and flatten the dough inside the bag with the palm of your hand, then pick up the bag at one corner, shake it so that it rolls into a ball again, then repeat. You can also knead it by placing the mochi into a greased bowl, and knead it as you would a normal dough. Knead for about 7~10 minutes, or to the consistency (chewiness) you want.
• To prepare the coating: Process the peanuts in a blender or food processor, and spread the powder out in a plate. Do not add sugar to the coating! Because the sugar will dissolve with the moisture in the mochi, making it super sticky.
• Pull off a teaspoonful-sized mochi ball with your hand, and coat in peanut powder. Alternatively, if you prepared it inside a bag, cut off a 1/4" corner, and squeeze from the bag. Separate the balls with greased scissors, or with chopsticks =P.
• Enjoy!
• Variations: Instead of using a coating, you could also wrap sweet red bean paste inside the mochi for daifukus =).

Steps:

• Line a small baking sheet or an egg carton with plastic wrap. Scoop the ice cream into 8 tight round balls using a 1-ounce cookie scoop (about 2 packed tablespoons each). Freeze on the prepared pan or in the egg carton cups until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Place a large piece of parchment paper on a work surface. Using a fine-mesh sieve, dust the parchment generously with cornstarch. (Use more cornstarch than you think you need - the dough will be very sticky.) In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, sugar, water and food coloring until smooth. Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring and folding with a rubber spatula, until a stiff tacky dough forms, 5 to 7 minutes. (It's OK if it looks lumpy at first; it will smooth out.) The dough should be very thick and feel slightly tough and rubbery.
• Transfer the dough to the parchment and dust the top generously with cornstarch. Place another piece of parchment over the dough and carefully press into a thin disk. Let the dough cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough into a large round or oval, about 1/4 inch thick. Using a 4- to 4 1/2-inch fluted or plain round cookie cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Gather the scraps to cut out more rounds, dusting with more cornstarch as needed (you should have at least 8 rounds). Dust a plate with cornstarch; make sure the dough rounds are dusted with cornstarch, then stack them on the plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• Assemble the mochi: Use plastic gloves if you have them. Line a small baking sheet or a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, dust generously with cornstarch and place in the freezer. Fill a small dish with cool water. Working with one dough round at a time, gently brush off any excess cornstarch and place the round flat in your hand. Working quickly, place a scoop of ice cream into the center of the dough. Gently pull up the edges of the dough to enclose the ice cream, using a small dab of water if the seams aren't sticking. Gently stretch, twist and pinch the dough together at the seams to secure. Immediately place the mochi seam-side down in the cold pan in the freezer. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and ice cream balls. Cover the mochi with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Let soften for a few minutes before eating.

Steps:

• For the mochi dough base: Wash the rice gently until the water runs clear, 5 to 8 times, then drain. Cook the rice with 2 1/2 cups water in a rice cooker according to the manufacturer directions for sushi/sweet rice, about 30 minutes.
• Place the cooked rice in a wooden or stone bowl. (I don't recommend stainless steel or plastic bowls, which will make the rice wet or too soft.) Smash the rice with a thick wooden stick or pestle. Use your hands to turn the rice and continue to pound with the stick until it is a smooth and sticky dough, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Portion out 20 to 24 mochi, about 2 tablespoons of dough per portion. Have a small bowl of water nearby to lightly wet hands if the dough is too sticky. Shape each portion into a round patty about 1 1/2 inches thick and dust each side of the mochi with mochiko or potato starch.
• For the mochi toppings: To make a sweet miso sauce, combine the miso, sugar and sake in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add your desired number of plain mochi and grill, brushing with soy sauce a couple of times on each side, until the mochi are caramelized, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
• Brush some of the remaining plain mochi (reserve some of them to serve with the sweet toppings) with about 1 tablespoon of the sweet miso sauce and top with a sprinkle of shichimi. To serve the savory mochi, wrap the soy-grilled and sweet miso-glazed mochi in nori and place on a plate or platter.
• For the sweet mochi toppings: Mix the kinako with the sugar in a small bowl. Dip to coat both sides of your desired number of mochi. Top each remaining plain mochi with adzuki paste, then sprinkle with the remaining kinako sugar, if desired. Serve on a plate or platter.

Steps:

• Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours. Mix sweet rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl. Stir in water, then sugar. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
• Cook the rice flour mixture in the microwave for 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide paste into 8 equal balls. Set aside. Stir rice flour mixture and heat for another 15 to 30 seconds.
• Dust work surface with cornstarch. While the mochi is still hot from the microwave, begin rolling balls the size of about 2 tablespoons. Flatten the mochi ball and place 1 frozen red bean paste ball in the center. Pinch the mochi over the red bean paste until the paste is completely covered. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi seam side down in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking. Repeat until all the mochi and red bean paste is used.

Steps:

• Mix mochiko and sugar in a bowl.
• Add water and mix thoroughly. (will be watery).
• Put in a microwaveable dish. Cover with plastic wrap.
• Microwave on high for 4 minutes. Take off plastic wrap. Cool for a few minutes, if you want. Cut. Serve.
• Opt. Dust with katakuriko or kinako to prevent mochi from sticking everywhere. If you don't have these, you can just put the mochi on cellophane.
• Variations for Filling: You can add red bean paste, ice cream, chocolate, etc. in the middle if you want BEFORE you dust. add a teaspoon of filling and pinch edges closed.
• Variations for Dough: Add a few drops of food coloring into batter for color variation. A few drops of flavoring (strawberry, grape, orange, blueberry, etc.) may also be added. >> For chocolate flavor, stir about 1/4 cup melted chocolate chips into mochi batter before cooking.