It’s almost the new year, so in Japan it’s time to make mochi and attract luck on you and your family – so here I share the tradition and a microwave-free recipe you can easily make at home.
The end of the year and the beginning of the new one represent two recurrences of extreme importance for the Japanese. December 31 and January 1 – Ōmisoka (大晦日) and Shogatsu (正月) are characterized by a series of traditions, however celebrations don’t include just these two days. At midnight on the 31st, bells are rung 108 times in temples, symbolizing the human desires and passions that should be removed in order to live a harmonious life. From that moment on, there will be a series of “firsts”: the first visit to the temple, seeing the first sunrise, the first meal of the new year.
The tradition of mochitsuki
Mochi are among the foods that the Japanese eat in the period of transition from the old to the new year. These small Japanese confectioneries are made with steamed and pounded glutinous rice. They can be sweet or savory, to be used in soups and are also common in other seasons. In January, it’s easy to find local pastry shops organising mochi pounding (mochitsuki – 餅つき) for the neighboorhood.
The preparation is simple, the practice is more complicated. The glutinous rice is left to soak overnight. Then, one hour before preparation, the rice is steamed for 45-50 minutes. A quarter of an hour before the start, the mortar is heated with hot water to prevent the rice from cooling down too fast. The rice is then poured into the mortar and is pounded until it becomes a paste.
At this stage of mochitsuki, one person swings a mallet to hit the rice and one person turns the rice at each swing. It’s amazing to see a mochitsuki because the whole process is very fast! To get to the end of the preparation you need to have great trust in your partner and be very coordinated. The pounding continues until the rice is combined into a sticky shiny dough. This dough is then placed on a cloth dusted with rice flour and form into the well known round shape.
Easy mochi recipe you can do at home
Although you can buy mochi online, making mochi at home is completely possible, fast and easy! You may find glutinous rice flour and red beans at most oriental food shops and supermarkets. Here I share my recipe for making mochi without microwave.
Ingredients:1 cup of glutinous rice flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of water. You can do more, but with these proportions.
Combine flour and water and stir. Put the dough in a pot and stir until the mochi becomes shiny and sticky. Add the sugar and stir again; you may want to remove the pot from direct heat and let the sugar dissolve with the residual heat. When the dough appears glossy, pour it over a shopping board dusted with corn or potato starch. Be careful because the mochi is sticky and hot, but it will cool quickly. Flour your hands and pick a small amount of mochi, create a ball and then flatten it. Place some red bean jam in the centre, close and reshape the ball. Continue until there’s no more mochi left. You can use the same molds for muffins or cupcakes to keep the shape of the mochi.
Ingredients for the red bean jam: 1 cup of beans, water at discretion and sugar to taste.
Boil at least once the beans to remove the sour taste; even better if you can repeat this for two or three times. Then, fill the pot so that the water covers the beans well (about 1/3 beans and 2/3 water): keep under control and add water if needed. Every half hour remove the foam. When you touch the beans and they are soft, add the sugar and stir. When the mixture thickens, remove from the heat and blend. Put in a container to cool.
Why mochi is considered a lucky food in Japan
There are few reasons why mochi is regarded as a lucky food in Japan. It is believed that making mochi with your family brings prosperity and strenghtens your bonds. Since the mochi is made ahead of New Year’s day as a decoration/offer, it is also said that eating it will bring you health all year round. In fact, by the time you’ll eat mochi, the buns will be hard to bite into!
Have you ever tried mochi?
FAQs
Traditionally, it is believed the New Year god called Toshigami will visit your home for the New Year, and offering them kagami mochi will bring you good luck for the year to come. It is said to have first appeared as a Japanese tradition during 14th century Japan, in the Muromachi period.
How was mochi traditionally made? ›
Traditionally, mochi is made by pounding steamed short-grain Japanese sticky rice, called mochigome, with a wooden mallet during a ceremony called mochitsuki. This aerates and pulverizes the rice, which is what gives mochi its beloved texture.
What does the mochi symbolize? ›
Mochi Matters
In Japan, it's a symbol of good fortune that was widely consumed by the aristocracy. It represents sustenance for those that need it, as it's incredibly filling. More than that, it's something that we enjoy even today as a treat that many people love.
What is Japanese mochi filled with? ›
Mochi sweets or mochigashi (餅菓子) are traditional Japanese confectioneries made from glutinous rice, non-glutinous regular white rice, kudzu starch, or bracken starch. Many kinds of mochi sweets are stuffed with red bean paste, but there are some that do not include the red bean filling.
Why is mochi important to Japanese culture? ›
Making and eating mochi has cultural significance in Japanese society. Rice appears during ceremonial functions and during celebrations, such as births, weddings, birthdays, and even funerals. Because Mochi consists of rice, the Japanese culture uses Mochi as a way to present gifts during important milestones.
What is the mochi stack for New Year's? ›
Kagami mochi is a Japanese traditional cake made up of two sticky rice cakes stacked on top of each other. This cake is offered to the gods on New Year's Day to show respect and receive blessings from them.
What is a fun fact about mochi? ›
Mochi is an essential item at the New Year breakfast, eaten in a hot soup called zoni. Its glutinous texture, however, calls for careful chewing—especially for the elderly and children—as deaths from suffocation on the New Year mochi are reported nearly every year.
What does mochi mean in English? ›
mo·chi ˈmō-chē : a doughlike mass made from cooked and pounded glutinous rice used in Japan as an unbaked pastry.
Is mochi good for you? ›
Is Mochi Healthy? Mochi is a versatile and healthy snack, and was popular amongst rice farmers and Samurai for increasing stamina and for its convenient format. Mochi is one of the few carbohydrate sources that is packed with protein, and is free from cholesterol.
Can you eat mochi raw? ›
Mochi is safe to eat when consumed in moderation. However, it is important to chew it thoroughly as its sticky texture can pose a choking hazard, especially for young children and the elderly.
Cut it into bite-sized pieces: Mochi is traditionally served in small, bite-sized pieces. When eating mochi, it's important to cut it into smaller pieces with a knife or scissors to avoid choking hazards.
Does mochi need to be refrigerated? ›
Fresh mochi and homemade mochi can get hard/go bad quickly. It's best to consume it within 1-2 days if you leave it at room temperature. Otherwise, you can extend its life by storing mochi in the fridge.
What is the difference between daif*cku and mochi? ›
But what is daif*cku exactly and what does daif*cku mean? It's actually just a mochi that's been stuffed or filled, most commonly with red bean paste but often with other flavors too. In fact, just like there are many types of mochi, daif*cku has many variants - some of which we'll touch on in this article.
What is the pink mochi called? ›
Sakura mochi (cherry blossom mochi) is a light pink colored Japanese rice cake filled with sweetened red bean or white bean. Like daif*cku mochi, it's made with glutinous rice that has been pounded into a paste, but with a lumpier texture as some grains left partially intact compared to the smooth texture of daif*cku.
What is traditionally eaten in Japan during the Japanese New Year's Eve? ›
Toshikoshi soba is traditionally eaten the night before New Year's on New Year's Eve. The dish consists of buckwheat noodles in a soup with various toppings. Sometime the dish will be simply garnished with some green onions, other times it is topped with things such as tempura, nori, egg, or spinach.
What is the Japanese food tradition for New Year? ›
Osechi Ryori is the traditional food enjoyed on New Year's Day in Japan. The assortment of colorful dishes are packed and displayed in special stacking boxes called jubako. Every Osechi dish has a special meaning in welcoming the New Year.
What is Japanese good luck food for New Year's? ›
Kuri Kinton (Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Candied Chestnuts)
By eating kuri kinton around New Year, Japanese people believe they may be prosperous in money or have good luck for the coming year.
What is the meaning of kagami mochi New Year decorations? ›
Kagami mochi is a traditional Japanese New Year's decoration made of rice cake. The two rice cakes symbolize the past year and the new one that's about to come. The overlapping of the two mochi also represents the moon (yin) and the sun (yang). (these crafted versions are made of diatomaceous earth and not edible).
