It started when I was 26 years old, when I tried looking for a way to find work and live in Japan. Since then, I often would just look at internet photos of the values I see in it:
Simple but efficient
Small but self-sustaining
Traditional yet futuristic
Japanese people are extremely creative and systematic. These two traits are too hard to combine.
A simple mochi displays how these two values are highly integrated in the Japanese culture.
This is just a simple set of instructions on how to make Mochi. Note that to make the mochi featured in my blog requires skill and a lot of creativity.
Ingredients
1 cup Mochiko (Mochi flour)
3/4 cup water (180ml)
2 cups sugar - you may reduce sugar definitely
cornstarch
Anko (sweet red bean paste) or
Add filling if you like - you can add different types of ice cream, chocolate or nutella, cream or caramel, fruity jam or fresh fruit like mangoes, banana
Remember only your creativity can stop you!
Instructions
Mix Mochiko and water in a glass (or other heat proof) bowl and mix well. Add some more water if it's too dry, 1 Tbsp at a time.
Steam the Mochiko dough (leaving the dough in the bowl) in a steamer for 20 minutes.
Transfer the steamed Mochi into a pot and cook at medium to medium low heat with 1/3 of the sugar (2/3 cup). When the sugar is completely dissolved, add another 1/3 of the sugar and mix well. Add the last part of the sugar and cook some more until the sugar is dissolved. Take the time to melt the sugar, but be careful not to burn it.
Take the hot Mochi out from the pot onto a sheet pan liberally dusted with cornstarch. Shape as you like.
There is a discipline and technique in making mochi - and making them consistently the same each time - in terms of taste and presentation. And yet, there are hundreds of mochi varieties. Each train station would have an entire 500 ft area where you can buy an assorted range of mochi!
These are my parents shopping for mochi at Osaka train station.
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