One of the things that globalization has brought is that cuisine from remote places, such as the Japanese, is now much more easily incorporated. Sushi has been a mainstream preparation in many restaurants for several decades now, and although they generally do not meet all the requirements of a Japanese chef, we have become used to it. This is what is happening with mochi, another Japanese preparation, but this time a dessert .
Mochi is prepared with a specific type of glutinous rice, soaked for a whole day and then pounded with wooden mallets in Japanese mortars called usu. The process, quite laborious, must be done between two people, one hits the rice and the other turns the dough; This must be done at a constant pace, without stopping and taking care not to hit the other person. When the rice takes on a smooth, sticky and elastic texture, it is ready to be shaped. Today it is not necessary because rice flour is used.
Ingredients:
How to prepare the Japanese sweet mochi:
- The dough : mix the rice flour with the water in a bowl, then add 240 grams of sugar .
- Put the bowl in a steamer and stir every 5 minutes until a thick, whitish and sticky paste is obtained ( approximately 25 minutes ).
- Let the dough rest for half an hour to cool.
- You can knead it with your hands, with a wooden spoon or with a hook mixer until the temperature allows you to work it with your hands.
- Pour a good amount of cornstarch on the counter and in your hands , put the dough and give it a few turns. Let stand until it is at room temperature. The dough must be covered so that it does not get air and form a crust , which cannot be removed.
- With floured hands, roll out the dough a little and cut meatball-sized portions . Flatten with your hands and shape into a disk.
- The filling : leave the beans to soak overnight . Remove some of the water and put the rest in a pressure cooker. Cook over high heat for 35 minutes .
- Take out all the water and in the same pot add the pinch of salt and glucose . Reheat over medium heat and add 250 grams of sugar in three times , until a doughy texture is obtained.
- Remove from heat and let cool . Separate this pasta into small balls, flatten and put the filling in the center of the rice disk . Ideally, it should be cold or frozen.
- Roll with your hands carefully until closing and sealing the dough over the filling .
And voila, you already have your Japanese mochi. You can also fill it with your favorite chocolate mousse, on the condition that it is very thick (you can make it with half the cream only) or Catalan cream with some seasonal fruit. Keep in mind that when you flatten the dough balls, it should not be too thick, rather thin.
