Mochi・もち・餅
Mochi is Japanese pounded rice, and although this delicious food has a huge range of uses, it can actually be pretty easy to make at home! While the traditional methods typically involve a large wooden hammer and mortar, a mochi maker is a good alternative. But we had neither of those, and instead used what we had (a KitchenAid Stand Mixer) and are happy with the results!
Every year during the last week of December, my grandparents, parents, siblings and I all got together at my grandparent’s house and had what’s called in Japanese a “mochi-tsuki” – where we’d make Kirimochi, Kagami-mochi, Kinako mochi, Goma mochi, and all sorts of different mochi from scratch. We made all the Kirimochi and Kagami-mochi to prepare for the new year (mainly for ozoni and offerings of Kagami-mochi to the gods). We made several Kagami-mochi to decorate around the house and multiple sheets of Kirimochi to last the whole month of January.
The recipe below is pretty much exactly how my siblings and I were taught by my grandparents except for the Stand Mixer part; (my family has a mochi maker at home that was passed down from my grandparents to my parents, and hopefully to me in the future…). I had missed making mochi with my family every year and wanted to start the tradition with my husband in the States.
Here are some things that I did differently from what my grandparents taught me:
- Stand Mixer: In Japan, we use a mochi maker or a set of wooden hammer and mortar to make mochi
- Fridge: December in my hometown was COLD, and central heating is not a thing in Japan. My family would soak the sweet rice in the water and leave it in the cold hallway overnight. We would also leave the rolled out sheets of mochi in the cold hallway for a couple of days. A natural fridge!
- The amount: My family would use a whole 30kg bag of sweet rice every year – it was an all day event of multiple batches when we did mochi-tsuki at home. This recipe calls for just 3 cups of sweet rice and is a perfect amount for a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, made in a 4qt Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer. I do not recommend putting in more than 3 cups at a time.
- Kitchen towel: We use a specific steaming cloth at home in Japan but this kitchen towel works amazingly as a steaming cloth.
This recipe is for a specific type of mochi mentioned above called “Kirimochi,” meaning “cut mochi.” After completing and chilling the mochi, you can cut it into its classic rectangular shape! Be sure to use sweet rice though (or “mochigome” in Japanese) to get the best texture and flavor. Here’s an example to help get you started.
Here are just a few of our favorite ways to eat this type of mochi:
- Coated with kinako (Japanese roasted soybean flour)
- Dipped in soy sauce (try adding sugar or melted butter to your liking)
- With red bean paste (anko) or in red bean soup (oshiruko)
- Mochi zousui (rice soup)
- Ozoni (traditional Japanese New Year’s soup)
- Toasted
Stand Mixer Mochi / Kirimochi / 切り餅
Equipment
- 1 Japanese measuring cup (rice cup) 1 cup = 180 ml
Ingredients
- 3 cups sweet rice Mochi gome(もち米) / Short grain glutinous rice
- 1 medium pot hot water for rinsing the stand mixer bowl
- 1 bowl hot water for patting water on mochi while kneading
Instructions
1st day
- In a bowl, pour 3 cups (1 cup = 180 ml) of rice, and wash at least 4 times until water rinses clearer. It doesn't have to be perfectly clear; it's okay if there's a little bit of white left.
- Soak the rice in water, cover the bowl, and rest it in the fridge overnight, or at least 1 hour.
2nd day
- The soaked rice has now expanded with the absorption of water overnight.
- Prepare a damp kitchen cloth and boiling water for a steamer. Put the damp kitchen cloth on the steamer.
- Strain the rice and put it on the kitchen cloth that has been placed over the steamer. Make a hole in the middle like a donut hole. Cover the rice with the extra towel on the edge.
- Place the steamer above a pot of boiling water, cover with a lid, and steam for 30 minutes on medium heat.
- A few minutes before the rice is done, prepare a pot of boiling water. Pour most of the hot water into the Stand Mixer bowl (setting aside the rest for later), swirl a couple of times to warm up the bowl, and let it sit until the rice is ready. Discard the hot water before placing the rice in the bowl; no need to dry the inside of the bowl.
- Taste test the steamed rice. If it is cooked through (with no hard core), take it out of the steamer by holding the kitchen cloth using a pot holder; it is very hot!
- Place the cooked sweet rice into the Stand Mixer bowl, then start kneading with a dough hook at the lowest setting. With a spatula and the rest of the hot water left over from heating the bowl, pat some hot water on the side of the stand mixer bowl occasionally to prevent it from sticking too much.
- Keep kneading until smooth and no rice bits are left (It will take about 15-20 minutes). Always stay by the stand mixer, and tap with hot water as needed.
- Prepare a Ziploc or other plastic bag. Wet your hands with hot water, grab the whole mochi from the bowl, and drop it in the bag. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll it out to your desired thickness. Close the bag, and let it cool flat in the fridge for a couple of days, or until it becomes hard enough to cut. (Do not put it in the freezer as it will make the mochi too hard to cut)
Optional
- I recommend eating some of the freshly made mochi right as it comes out of the Stand Mixer. If you are like me, then before putting the mochi into a plastic bag, wet your hands with hot water, and grab a few mouthfuls and drop them in your favorite sauce / coating (kinako, soy sauce, red bean paste, etc).
After mochi has hardened in the fridge
- Take out the chilled and hardened mochi bag from the fridge, and remove the mochi from the bag. It should come out clean. Cut it into rectangles, and there you have "kirimochi."
- Put them back in the bag, and keep them stored in the freezer for whenever you want to eat or use kirimochi in cooking.
Video
@deni.pan Replying to @deni.pan revised and improved Stand Mixer mochi video ✨ Also updated the full recipe link in bio! It’s been a minute since my viral #standmixermochi videos from last year. Thank you for the support! #japanesefood #mochi #kitchenaid #foodtiktok #japan #rice Mixing Bowls are from Priority Chef, kitchen towel is from Sockprints; link for those in bio as well! #recipesoftiktok #standmixer #japanesefood #japanese #asmr
♬ Flowers – Miley Cyrus
