Mochi Magic!

Written by: Natalie Yao

History

Mochi is a chewy Japanese rice cake that is traditionally made and eaten for special events such as the New Year. The food is a symbol of prosperity, strength, and unity.Although it has only been introduced to the western world relatively recently, the food’s origins date back thousands of years. Archeologists have found tools for making mochi from about 250 CE, during Japan’s Kofun Period, but it could have dated even farther back to 300 BCE, which was during the Yayoi Period. The rice cake was mostly eaten by the upper class and samurai as it was considered as “food for the gods”. Because of this, mochi was normally used as offerings as Shinto shrines and ceremonies, where Japanese people would celebrate marriage and the birth of a child. There is a legend stating that first mochi making pounding ceremony was for the gods to teach people how to grow rice. For samurai, it had become a staple because a single piece of mochi equated to a bowl of rice, so it could be carried while traveling and still be a solid source of energy.  It then eventually was passed down to lower classes to be eaten during Japanese New Year. By the 1600s, which was the Edo Period, mochi had become a major food in Japan, as it could be savory and sweet. 

How to Make Mochi

Mochi is made by first steaming glutinous rice and pounding it with a wooden mallet. This process is called mochitsuki, translating directly to pounding mochi. While pounding the rice, water is added throughout so the rice will not stick onto the bowl and the mallet. During the process of mchitsuki, air is added into the dough, leading to its stretchy texture.

Different Types of Mochi

• Daifuku: Sweet, round mochi filled with stuffings like red bean paste or a strawberry

• Sakura: a pink rice cake with a red bean filling, which is then placed on a pickled cherry blossom leaf

• Ozoni: a savory mochi in a soup with vegetables and a miso or soy sauce broth

• Dango: sweet small and colorful mochi served on a skewer

• Ohagi: a version of mochi where the rice cake is at the center of the dessert, and is covered in red bean paste

• Isobe Maki: a savory mochi that is grilled and then wrapped in seaweed and served with soy sauce

• Mochi Ice Cream: a modern version of the traditional dish, any flavor of ice cream wrapped in a thin layer of soft mochi