This simply delicious dessert hailing from the land of the rising sun, aka Japan has a distinctly soft yet elastically chewy texture to it.
It is made with sweet glutinous rice flour or mochigome and it's often flavored with matcha green tea powder to give it that light green hue to it.
Ingredients
water
matcha
white sugar
cornstarch
glutinous rice flour
sweetened red bean paste
Steps
Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer until solid, at least 1 hour.
Mix glutinous rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in water, then sugar; mix until smooth.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes 30 seconds.
Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide into 8 equal balls. Set aside.
Remove rice flour mixture from the microwave. Stir and heat, covered, for another 15 to 30 seconds.
Dust a work surface with cornstarch. Roll about 2 tablespoons of hot rice flour mixture into a ball. Flatten the ball and place one ball of frozen red bean paste in the center. Pinch and press the dough around the bean paste until completely covered. Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi, seam-side down, in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking.
