How To Enjoy Japanese Mochi
We enjoy various types of mochi rice cakes in Japan, especially for Japanese New Year. In this recipe, you'll learn how to prepare at home the three most popular flavors of mochi—kinako (roasted soybean flour), isobeyaki (soy sauce with nori), and anko (sweet red bean paste).
Servings: 3 mochi
Calories: 163kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pieces Japanese rice cake (kiri mochi) (plain Japanese rice cakes; you can also use warm, fresh Homemade Mochi and skip toasting)
For the Kinako Mochi (Roasted Soybean Flour)
- 2 Tbsp kinako (roasted soybean flour)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 cup hot water
For the Isobeyaki (Soy Sauce)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar (optional; some people eat isobeyaki without sugar, but my family always makes it with sugar)
- 2 sheets nori (dried laver seaweed) (I use seasoned nori called ajitsuke nori)
For the Anko Mochi (Sweet Red Bean Paste)
- 1 Tbsp sweet red bean paste (anko) (use store bought or make homemade Anko and Pressure Cooker Anko)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Place 3 pieces Japanese rice cake (kiri mochi) in a toaster oven and toast until puffed up and slightly golden brown, about 10 minutes. You can also pan-fry, boil it in the water, or microwave. For microwaving, put a mochi in a bowl, add water to cover it, and microwave. If you use warm, fresh Homemade Mochi, skip the toasting step and move on to the flavoring step.
- Once the mochi pieces are puffed up, gently smash them with your hand. From here, dress your mochi with roasted soybean flour, soy sauce, and sweet red bean paste.
To Make the Kinako Mochi (Roasted Soybean Flour)
- Mix together 2 Tbsp kinako (roasted soybean flour) and 1 Tbsp sugar in a bowl. Prepare a small bowl with 1 cup hot water.
- Dip the smashed mochi in the hot water, then dredge in the kinako mixture.
To Make the Isobeyaki (Soy Sauce with Nori)
- Mix together 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sugar in a bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds to dissolve the sugar.
- Briefly soak the smashed mochi completely in the soy sauce and sugar mixture. Then, wrap with 2 sheets of seasoned ajitsuke nori (dried laver seaweed).
To Make the Anko Mochi (Sweet Red Bean Paste)
- Pull the smashed mochi from both sides and wrap it around a 1 Tbsp scoop of anko (sweet red bean paste). It’s sticky, so be careful when handling.
To Serve
- Serve the mochi immediately while warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 163 kcal · Carbohydrates: 36 g · Protein: 4 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 88 mg · Potassium: 116 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 34 g · Vitamin A: 94 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 9 mg · Iron: 1 mg