Mochi By Nicole Harripersad Table of Contents Desserts with Mochi ........................................................... Page 5 Mochi Ice Cream!! ............................................................ Page 6 How do you make Mochi? .................................................... Page 7 Tips and Tricks ................................................................. Page 8 Mochi Today ................................................................... Page 9 Mochi in NYC ................................................................... Page 10 Mochi at home Easter Mochi Mochi at a restaurant What Is Mochi? the body and increase energy. Mochi’s sweet taste nourishes the pancreas, spleen, and stomach. Mochi is an excellent source of food for people who are in a weak condition. Japanese farm- ers and laborers favor mochi during colder months because of its reputation for increasing one’s stamina. So this can be a big help for students taking major exams during schools Mochi is recommended for Fresh Daifuku health problems such as anemia, imbalances in blood sugar, and weak intestines. to people for good health and ylose. In Women who are pregnant fortune. Later on mochi was mochi, the amylose content and are lactating can benefit, eaten for various occasions or was insignificant, which because it strengthens both as a regular snack . results in its gel like texture. the mother and child which Mochi is a Mochi has a strange mixed Mochi is also said to give encourages a plentiful japanese rice cake made of structure which contained strength to those eating it. supply of milk. With its high Mochigome, a short grain amylopectin gel, starch grains, The use of two mochi calcium and iron mostly the glutinous sweet rice that is and air bubbles.This rice has symbolizes the passage of mochi is traditionally given much sticker than regualr rice a lack of amylose,(a type of time, one for the previous year to women after childbirth. which originated in japan. It resistant in the starch that and one for the new year. it is Mochi is not only tasty but is unknown who invented makes digesting these sweet also said that they represent comed with amazing health mochi but the japanese say- things a bit slow, and is de- the moon and the sun or have benefits as well that it was created by a priest rived from short japonica a yin and yang type meaning. in japan for church members rices. These sweet treats con- Now That sounds very very in the era 794, mochi were tain a lot of starch in them. interesting and very yummy once originally made as offer- The protein concentration in too!! It is also said that in ings to the kami, or “Gods”, at the rice is much higher than some of the Japanese folklore shrines. Mochi’s were cut into in normal short-grain rice, and in traditional medicine. small pieces and were given and the two also differ in am- Mochi has the ability to warm Desserts with Mochi Dango is a Japanese dump- ling and a sweet made from mochi. It is often served with green tea. Dango is eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in some given seasons. Three to four pieces of dango are often served on a skewer. The three main flavors in Dango is usu- ally red beans, eggs, or matcha green tea. You can eat dango on a stick or you can have them toasted by a fire like Nearly all daifuku are mostly how marshmallows are which Its even better during the hot covered in a fine layer of corn are even tastier. summer days of japan. It’s aifukumochi Zenzai is a very D or potato starch to keep them Dango is tasty no matter how popular to enjoy zenzai with or Daifuku is a Japanese sweet traditional Japanese dessert. from sticking to each other, you would eat them. sour pickled plums or konbu that consists of a small round It’s a thick sweet soup which or fingers. the Daifuku can be tea to provide a refreshing mochi, stuffed with sweet fill- consists of boiled azuki beans cooked either steamed over a contrast to the sweet flavor. ing, which is most commonly “Red Bean Paste” and is often stove pot, or it can be cooked anko, a sweetened red bean served with mochi or dango in the microwave too. But paste made from azuki beans, in the soup or on the side. with the microwave method, or matcha green tea powder. Oshiruko or Shiruko is an- the sticky tasty mochi is ready Daifuku comes in many other name used in east of in no time Both the Mochi varieties. Yomogi (grass fill- Japan where azuki beans are and daifuku are very popular ing) Ichigo (served with a boiled and then crushed into in Japan. whole strawberry, and my paste and it has a more of a favorite Sakura ( Japanese watery consistency than ze- blossom filling) They were nzai.Sweet azuki bean soup gaining so much popularity with sticky mochi is a very and many peoplebegan to eat calm and comforting sweet them toasted. They were also for Japanese people during used for gifts in the winter time, or chilled ceremonies and occasions. and serve cold with green tea ice cream on warmer days. The Best Dessert of all!! Mochi IceCream attended Hollenbeck Junior Angeles’ Little Tokyo, home will never be forgotten thanks High School. She later on to the company’s headquarters to Frances Hashimoto. received her bachelor’s degree since it was founded in 1910, from the University of and devoted much time to the Southern California in 1966 recognition and expansion to and became an elementary the Japanese community in school teacher. She taught third Southern California. She also grade for four years until her helped strengthen ties between mother, who had been a widow, Little Tokyo and Minami Otsu asked her to join the family Dori Shotengai in Nagoya, Los business full time in 1970. She Angeles’ first sister city. But then became the chief it comes with great sadness, executive officer of Mikawaya Frances Hashimoto, has died in 1970, when she was 27 years due to lung cancer. She passed old. away Nov. 4, 2012 at her home formed and handled. Where Hashimoto’s husband, Joel in Pasadena. can you find this delicious Friedman, conceived the idea But because of her invention treats? You can find these ow this is a whole of taking small orbs of ice of the sweet mochi icecream N popular desserts served in some new turn in the dessert world cream and wrapping them in a has left a huge impact through Japanese restaurants in the U.S. of Japan itself. Behold!! Mo- Japanese traditional out the world. Not only to the And they can be purchased in chi Icecream. It’s a confection mochi rice cake. She decided food industry, but to the super US grocery stores including made from Japanese mochi to expanded on her husband’s markets, and for other restau- Trader Joe’s and Costco. with an ice cream filling. The idea, and invented the fusion rants as well. Mochi Icecream Now the other question that ice cream flavors the insides of dessert now popular in the is on people’s mind is “who cre- the dessert while the United States and elsewhere. ated mochi icecream? And that mochi adds sweetness and a Hashimoto introduced seven was none other than Frances cool texture. Ice creams used in flavors in the mochi product Hashimoto. Hashimoto was the mochi includes the line. Mikawaya began the the former president and CEO traditional flavors such as production of mochi ice cream of Mikawaya, and is credited vanilla, chocolate, and yes in the United States in 1993. as the creator and inventor of strawberry. There are also Research and development mochi ice cream. strange but other unique took almost over a decade to Hashimoto’s parents, flavors for the mochi ice cream realize the mass production Koroku and Haru Hashimo- like kona coffee, plum wine, form used today, due to the to, owned the family-owned and red bean. complex interactions of the Mikawaya wagashi, a Japanese The treat is dusted with ingredients contained. bakery which opened in 1910 potato or corn starch to keep Hashimoto was involved to in Los Angeles.Hashimoto it from sticking while being the revitalization of Los How do you make Mochi? with some cornstarch and place A quick video on How to make Mochi from a microwave Ingredients 1 Wrap red bean paste in mochi seam side down in a aluminum foil and place in the paper muffin liner to prevent 1 cup sweetened red bean paste freezer for at least 3 hours. Mix from sticking. Repeat until all 1 cup sweet rice flour sweet rice flour and 1 teaspoon the mochi and red bean paste is (mochiko) of green tea powder thoroughly used. 1 teaspoon green tea powder in a microwave-safe glass or 1 cup water a ceramic bowl. Stir in water, 4 Decorate them! Yes, you 1/4 cup white sugar then sugar. Mix until smooth. can decorate them.Many peo- 1/2 cup cornstarch, for Cover bowl with plastic wrap. ple like to decorate their moch- rolling out the dough is with cute faces or make them 2 Cook the rice flour mix- look like cute animals. And Traditional Mochi Making Prep Time: 30 minutes ture inside the when your done, you have the Cook Time: 5-10 minutes microwave for 3 minutes and best part of all. You serve your Ready in: 3 and a half hours 30 seconds. Meanwhile, you treats with your friends and can remove the red bean paste family or eat them all yourself. from the freezer and divide the paste into 8 equal balls.