Mochi
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[[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225669495 by [[Special:Contributions/128.252.65.1|128.252.65.1]] ([[User talk:128.252.65.1|talk]]) rvv
{{cookbook|Mochi}}
[[Image:Rice Cake.jpg|thumb|Rice Cake]]
[[Image:Mochituki1.jpg|thumb|Pounding mochi in an ''usu'']]
[[Image:Mochimachine3387.JPG|thumb|Making mochi with a modern piece of equipment]]
{{Otheruses|Mochi (disambiguation)}}
'''Mochi''' ([[Japanese language|Japanese]]: {{lang|ja|[[wiktionary:餅|餅]]}}; [[Chinese language|Chinese]]: {{lang|zh-TW|[[wiktionary:麻|麻]][[wiktionary:糬|糬]]}}) is a [[Japan]]ese and Chinese [[rice cake]] made of [[glutinous rice]] pounded into [[paste]] and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called ''mochitsuki''. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the [[Japanese New Year]] and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.
Mochi is similar to the [[Chinese cuisine|Chinese]] [[rice cake]] ''[[nian gao]]''; however, mochi is shaped from cooked glutinous rice right after it is pounded, whereas nian gao is steamed directly to its final form from a batter made of uncooked glutinous rice flour. In the [[Cuisine of the Philippines|Philippines]], it is called ''palitao'' in [[Tagalog language|Tagalog]] and is coated with [[sesame]] seeds and grated coconut.
==Mochitsuki==
''Mochitsuki'' is the traditional mochi-pounding ceremony in [[Japan]].
# Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and cooked.
# The cooked rice is pounded with wooden mallets (''kine'') in a traditional mortar (''[[usu]]''). Two people will alternate the work, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi. They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure one another with the heavy kine.
# The sticky mass is then formed into various shapes (usually a sphere or cube).
Mochi may also be made in an automatic mochi machine, similar to a [[breadmaker]]. In fact, mochi can be made using a breadmaker if the rice is soaked and steamed separately and the machine can be started in a kneading mode.
Making mochi at home is possible without an automatic machine. Use a bamboo steamer or other apparatus that the sweets will not stick to while steaming. Add only enough water to allow the flour to stick together, form a small circle of the dough, then put a small amount of bean paste in the center. Close the dough over the paste and place in the steamer until the mochi congeals. Immediately upon removing the mochi from the steamer, coat the mochi in more sweet rice flour to prevent it from sticking to the hands of the maker.
==Popular uses for mochi==
===Confectionery===
Many types of traditional [[wagashi]] (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, [[daifuku]] is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened [[red bean paste]] (''an'') or white bean paste (''shiro an''). [[Ichigo daifuku]] is a version containing a whole [[strawberry]] inside.
[[Kusa mochi]] is a green variety of mochi flavored with [[Artemisia_princeps|''yomogi'' (mugwort)]]. When ''daifuku'' is made with ''kusa mochi'', it is called ''yomogi daifuku''.
====Ice cream====
{{main|Mochi ice cream}}
Small balls of [[ice cream]] are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make [[mochi ice cream]]. In Japan this is manufactured by the Korean conglomerate, [[Lotte]] under the name ''[[Yukimi Daifuku]]'', "snow-viewing daifuku". In the [[United States]] the grocery chain [[Trader Joe's]], [[H Mart]], and [[Mollie Stone's]] sell mochi ice cream in flavors of chocolate, mango, green tea, coffee, vanilla, and strawberry. It is popular in [[California]], [[Hawaii]], [[Atlanta, Georgia]] and [[Portland, Oregon]]. A Japanese-owned company ([http://mikawayausa.com/english_files/main_english.shtml Mikawaya]) operating in [[Los Angeles]] makes [http://mochiicecream.com/ Mochi Ice Cream], which is the variety that is sold by Trader Joe's and Mollie Stone's. Los Angeles and New York's [http://www.pinkberry.com Pinkberry] yogurt also offers mochi as a "secret menu" topping on their desserts. It's not on the menu and kept in their fridges but if you ask for it they will get it for you.
===Soup===
*[[Oshiruko]] or ''ozenzai'' is a sweet [[azuki bean]] soup with pieces of mochi. In [[winter]], Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves.
*''Chikara udon'' (meaning "power udon") is a dish consisting of [[udon]] noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi.
===New Year specialties===
*[[Kagami mochi]] is a New Year decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called ''Kagami biraki'' (mirror opening).
*[[Zoni soup|Zōni soup]] is a [[soup]] containing rice cakes. Zoni is also eaten on New Year's Day. In addition to mochi, zoni contains vegetables like [[Cryptotaenia|honeywort]], [[carrot]], and red and white colored boiled ''[[kamaboko]]''.
*[[Kinako]] mochi is a mochi dish that is traditionally made on New Year's Day for [[luck]]. This style of mochi preparation includes roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, and then dipping it into a mixture of [[soy sauce]], water and sugar, before finally briefly coating it in kinako ([[soy flour]]).
===Other===
*[[Dango]] is a [[Japan]]ese [[dumpling]] made from ''mochiko'' ([[rice flour]]).
*[[Warabimochi]] is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from [[bracken]] starch and covered or dipped in kinako (sweet toasted soybean flour). It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike [[ice cream truck]]s in Western countries.
*More recently, "Moffles" (a waffle like machine used to cook mochi) has been introduced with much fanfare. Ref: http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080319f1.html
==Notes==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
{{Commonscat|Mochi}}
*[[Tangyuan]]
*[[Chè xôi nước]]
[[Category:Japanese ingredients]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine]]
[[Category:Filipino cuisine]]
[[Category:Hawaiian cuisine]]
[[Category:Rice dishes]]
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