Моти как пишется на японском

Mochi (もち, 餅) is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki (餅搗き).^[1] While eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year, and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.

Mochi is a multicomponent food consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, protein, and water. Mochi has a heterogeneous structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains, and air bubbles.^[2] The rice used for mochi has a negligible amylose content and a high amylopectin level, producing a gel-like consistency.^[3] The protein content of the japonica rice used to make mochi is higher than that of standard short-grain rice.

Mochi is similar to dango, but is made by pounding grains of rice, while dango is made with rice flour.^[4]

History[edit]

The process of steaming glutinous rice and making it into a paste is considered to have its origin in ancient China^[5] and to have been introduced to Japan from Southeast Asia some time after rice cultivation was introduced to Japan at the end of the Jōmon period (c. 14,000–300 BC).^[5][6] Red rice was the original variant used in the production of mochi.^[6]

The cultural significance of mochi in Japan is unique, though it has elements in common with other auspicious foods in other Asian countries.^[5] According to archaeological research, the homemade production of mochi increased beginning in the 6th century (Kofun period), when earthenware steamers became popular in every household, mainly in eastern Japan.^[7]: 267

In the Bungo no kuni fudoki, compiled in the late 8th century in the Nara period, a legend concerning mochi was described. According to the book, when a rich man made a flat mochi from leftover rice and shot an arrow at it, the mochi transformed into a white bird and flew away, and after that, the man’s rice field became desolate and barren. This legend shows that round white mochi was historically held to have spiritual power.^[8]

In the Heian period (794–1185), mochi was often used in Shinto events to celebrate childbirth and marriage. According to the Ōkagami compiled in the 12th century, emperors and nobilities used to put mochi into the mouths of babies that were 50 days old.^[9]: 30 In this period, it became customary in the aristocratic society for the bride and groom to eat mochi together at the bride’s house three days after the wedding.^[10]

The first recorded accounts of mochi being used as a part of New Year’s festivities are from the Heian period. The nobles of the Imperial court believed that long strands of freshly made mochi symbolized long life and well-being, while dried mochi helped strengthen one’s teeth. Accounts of it can also be found in The Tale of Genji.^[11]

The custom of kagami mochi (mirror mochi) began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period. Kagami mochi are composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with a bitter orange (daidai). In welcoming the New Year, samurai decorated kagami mochi with Japanese armour and Japanese swords and would place them in the tokonoma (alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed) to pray for the prosperity of their families in the New Year. When people ate kagami mochi after the New Year period, they avoided cutting it with a hōchō (knife) so as not to violate the kami, and smashed it with a wooden hammer after it naturally dried and cracked.^[12]

Mochi continues to be one of the traditional foods eaten around Japanese New Year and is sold and consumed in abundance around this time. A kagami mochi is placed on family altars (kamidana) on December 28 each year.^[13]

Seasonal specialties[edit]

New Year[edit]

• Kagami mochi is a New Year’s decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called kagami biraki (mirror opening) and placed on family altars on December 28.
• Zōni is a soup containing rice cakes. It is also eaten on New Year’s Day. In addition to mochi, zōni contains vegetables such as taro, carrot, honeywort, and red and white colored kamaboko.
• Kinako mochi is traditionally made on New Year’s Day as an emblem of luck. This style of mochi preparation involves roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, then dipping it into water, and finally coating it with sugar and kinako (soy flour).^[14]

Spring[edit]

The cherry blossom (sakura) is a symbol of Japan and signifies the onset of full-fledged spring. Sakuramochi is a pink-coloured mochi surrounding sweet red bean paste and wrapped in an edible, salted cherry blossom leaf; this dish is usually made during the spring.^[15]

Children’s Day[edit]

Children’s Day is celebrated in Japan on May 5. On this day, the Japanese promote the happiness and well-being of children. Kashiwa-mochi and chimaki are made especially for this celebration.^[15] Kashiwa-mochi is white mochi surrounding a sweet red bean paste filling with a kashiwa oak leaf wrapped around it.^[15]
Chimaki is a variation of a dango wrapped in bamboo leaves.^[15]

Girls’ Day[edit]

Hishi mochi is a ceremonial dessert presented as a ritual offering on the days leading up to Hinamatsuri, or «Girls’ Day» in Japan, on March 3 every year. Hishi mochi is rhomboid-shaped mochi with layers of red, green, and white. The three layers are coloured with jasmine flowers, water caltrop, and mugwort.^[16]

Traditional preparation[edit]

Traditionally, mochi making is an important cultural event in Japan that involves members of a local community or family. Although less common today, the traditional process still exists in most rural areas, as well as in urban temples, shrines, and community spaces, especially in the days leading up to the new year.^[17][18] The traditional process of mochi-pounding (called mochitsuki (餅つき)) involves whole rice as the only ingredient and takes place in three basic steps:

1. Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and steamed.
2. The steamed rice is mashed and pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu).^[19] The work involves two people, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi.^[20] They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure each other with the heavy kine.
3. The sticky mass is cut or formed into shapes, for example spheres.^[20]

Modern preparation[edit]

The modern preparation of mochi uses a sweet flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water and cooked on a stovetop or in the microwave until it forms a sticky, opaque, white mass.^[21] This process is performed twice, stirring the mass in between^[22] until it becomes malleable and slightly transparent.^[23]

With modern equipment, mochi can be made at home, with the technology automating the laborious dough pounding.^[22] Household mochi appliances provide a suitable space where the environment of the dough can be controlled.

The assembly-line sections in mochi production control these aspects:

1. Viscoelasticity or the products’ chewiness by selecting specific species of rice
2. Consistency of the dough during automated pounding process
3. Size
4. Flavourings and fillings

Varieties of glutinous and waxy rice are produced as major raw material for mochi. The rice is chosen for tensile strength and compressibility. One study found that in kantomochi rice 172 and BC3, amylopectin distribution varied and affected the hardness of mochi. Kantomochi rice produced harder, brittle, grainy textures, all undesirable qualities except for ease of cutting.^[24] For mass production, the rice variety should be chewy, but easy to separate.

Generally, two types of machines are used for mochi production in an assembly line. One machine prepares the dough, while the other forms the dough into consistent shapes, unfilled or with filling. The first type of machine controls the temperature at which the rice gelatinizes. One study found that a temperature of 62 °C (144 °F) corresponds to the gelatinization of mochi. When the temperature fell below this point, the hardening was too slow. It was concluded that a processing temperature below 62 °C (144 °F) was unsuitable for dough preparation.^[25]

Processing[edit]

Mochi is a variation of a low-calorie, low-fat rice cake. The cake has two essential raw materials, rice and water. Sticky rice (also called sweet rice, Oryza sativa var. glutinosa, glutinous sticky rice, glutinous rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, pearl rice, and pulut),^[26] whether brown or white, is best for mochi-making, as long-grain varieties will not expand perfectly. Water is essential in the early stages of preparation. Other additives such as salt and other seasonings and flavourings are important for nutritive value and taste. However, additives can cause breakage of the mass, so should not be added to the rice before the cake is formed. The cake must be steamed (rather than boiled) until it gains a smooth and elastic texture. The balls of rice are then flattened and cut into pieces or shaped into rounds.^[20] The machines for mass production are a hugely expensive investment, and the product should have the proper moisture, to appeal to consumers.^{[citation needed]}

Preservation[edit]

While mochi can be refrigerated for a short storage period,^[27] it can also «become hard and not usable.»^[28] The recommended preservation method is by freezing. The best method for freezing involves wrapping each mochi cake tightly in a sealed plastic bag. Although mochi can be kept in a freezer for almost one year, the frozen mochi may lose flavor and softness or get freezer-burned.^[27] Food additives, such as modified tapioca starch, can also extend the shelf life of mochi.^[29]

Ingredients[edit]

Mochi is relatively simple to make, as only a few ingredients are needed for plain mochi. The main ingredient is either shiratamako or mochiko, Japanese sweet glutinous rice flours. Both shiratamako and mochiko are made from mochigome, a type of glutinous short-grain rice. The difference between shiratamako and mochiko comes from texture and processing methods. Shiratamako flour has been more refined and is a finer flour with a smoother, more elastic feel.^[30] Mochiko is less refined and has a doughier texture.

Other ingredients may include water, sugar, and cornstarch (to prevent sticking).^[31] Additional other ingredients can be added to create different variations/flavors.^{[citation needed]}

Nutrition[edit]

The caloric content of a matchbox-sized piece of mochi is comparable to that of a bowl of rice. Japanese farmers were known to consume mochi during the winter to increase their stamina, while samurai took mochi on their expeditions, as it was easy to carry and prepare.^{[citation needed]} Mochi is gluten- and cholesterol-free, as it is made from rice flour.

A single serving of 44.0 g (1.55 oz) has 96 calories (kilocalories), 1.0 g (0.035 oz) of fat, but no trans or saturated fat, 1.0 mg (0.015 gr) of sodium, 22.0 g (0.78 oz) of carbohydrates, no dietary fiber, 6.0 g (0.21 oz) of sugar, and 1.0 g (0.035 oz) of protein.^[32]

Chemistry and structural composition of glutinous rice[edit]

Amylose and amylopectin are both components of starch and polysaccharides made from D-glucose units. The big difference between the two is that amylose is linear because it only has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin, though, is a branched polysaccharide because it has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds with occasional αlpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds^[33] around every 22 D-glucose units.^[34] Glutinous rice is nearly 100%^[35] composed of amylopectin and almost completely lacks its counterpart, amylose, in its starch granules. A nonglutinous rice grain contains amylose at about 10–30% weight by weight and amylopectin at about 70–90% weight by weight.^[33]

Glutinous or waxy type of starches occur in maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. An interesting characteristic of glutinous rice is that it stains red when iodine is added, whereas nonglutinous rice stains blue.^[35] This phenomenon occurs when iodine is mixed with iodide to form tri-iodide and penta-iodide. Penta-iodide intercalates between the starch molecules and stains amylose and amylopectin blue and red, respectively.^[36] The gelation and viscous texture of glutinous rice is due to amylopectin being more hygroscopic^[37] than amylose, thus water enters the starch granule, causing it to swell, while the amylose leaves the starch granule and becomes part of a colloidal solution.^[38] In other words, the higher the amylopectin content, the higher the swelling of the starch granule.^[39]

Though the amylopectin content plays a major role in the defined characteristic of viscosity in glutinous rice, factors such as heat also play a very important role in the swelling, since it enhances the uptake of water into the starch granule significantly. ^[40]

The high amylopectin content of waxy or glutinous starches is genetically controlled by the waxy or wax gene. Its quality of greater viscosity and gelation is dependent on the distribution of the amylopectin unit chains.^[33] Grains that have this gene are considered mutants, which explains why most of them are selectively bred to create a grain that is close to having or has a 0% amylose content.^[35] The table below summarizes the amylose and amylopectin content of different starches, waxy and nonwaxy:

The soaking of the glutinous rice is an elemental step in the preparation of mochi, either traditionally or industrially. During this process, glutinous rice decreases in protein content as it is soaked in water. The chemicals that make up the flavour of plain or «natural» mochi are ethyl acetate, ethanol, 2-butanol, 2 methyl 1-propanol, 1-butanol, isoamyl alcohol, 1-pentanol and propane acid.^[42]

Mochi is usually composed solely of glutinous rice, however, some variations may include the additions of salt, spices and flavourings such as cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde).^[43] Food additives such as sucrose, sorbitol or glycerol may be added to increase viscosity and therefore increase gelatinization. Additives that slow down retrogradation are not usually added since amylopectin has a very stable shelf life due to its high amylopectin content.^[44]

Viscoelasticity[edit]

Mochi’s characteristic chewiness is due to the polysaccharides in it. The viscosity and elasticity that account for this chewiness are affected by many factors such as the starch concentration, configuration of the swollen starch granules, the conditions of heating (temperature, heating period and rate of heating) as well as the junction zones that interconnect each polymer chain. The more junction zones the substance has, the stronger the cohesiveness of the gel, thereby forming a more solid-like material. The perfect mochi has the perfect balance between viscosity and elasticity so that it is not inextensible and fragile but rather extensible yet firm.^[45]

Many tests have been conducted on the factors that affect the viscoelastic properties of mochi. As puncture tests show, samples with a higher solid (polysaccharide) content show an increased resistance and thereby a stronger and tougher gel. This increased resistance to the puncture test indicate that an increase in solute concentration leads to a more rigid and harder gel with an increased cohesiveness, internal binding, elasticity and springiness which means a decrease in material flow or an increase in viscosity. These results can also be brought about by an increase in heating time.

Sensory assessments of the hardness, stickiness and elasticity of mochi and their relationship with solute concentration and heating time were performed. Similar to the puncture test results, sensory tests determine that hardness and elasticity increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration. However, stickiness of the samples increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration until a certain level, above which the reverse is observed.

These relationships are important because too hard or elastic a mochi is undesirable, as is one that is too sticky and will stick to walls of the container.^[45]

Health hazards[edit]

Suffocation deaths are caused by mochi every year in Japan, especially among elderly people.^[46][47][48] In 2015, it was reported that according to the Tokyo Fire Department – which responds to choking cases – more than 100 people were hospitalised per year for choking on mochi in Tokyo alone. Also in Tokyo, between 2006 and 2009 there were 18 reported deaths resulting from choking on mochi. As a result of this risk, Japanese authorities put out yearly warnings, advising people to cut mochi into small pieces before consumption.^[46]

Popular uses[edit]

Mochi may be eaten alone as a major component of a main meal, and is used as an ingredient in other prepared foods.

Confectionery[edit]

Many types of traditional wagashi and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste (anko) or white bean paste (shiro an).^[49] Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry inside.^[50]

Kusa mochi is a green variety of mochi flavored with mugwort (yomogi).^[51][49] When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.^[52][53]

Ice cream[edit]

Small balls of ice cream are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream. In Japan, this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte under the name Yukimi Daifuku, «snow-viewing daifuku«.

Soup[edit]

• Oshiruko or ozenzai is a sweet azuki bean soup with pieces of mochi. In winter, Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves.
• Chikara udon (meaning «power udon») is a dish consisting of udon noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi.
• Zōni. See New Year specialties below.

Other variations[edit]

• Dango is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour).^[4]
• Warabimochi is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from bracken starch and covered or dipped in kinako (soybean flour) with sugar. It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike ice cream trucks in Western countries.^[54]
• Manjū (饅頭/まんじゅう) is not a true mochi, but a popular traditional Japanese confection made of flour, rice powder, buckwheat, and red bean paste.^[4]
• Yōkan (羊羮) is a thick, jelly-like dessert. It is made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar.^[4] There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan.^[55][56]
• Sakumochi (索餅) is deep fried rice cake twisted into a rope shape. It is often consumed during the Japanese Star Festival called tanabata. There is some confusion about its origin based on evidence from historical records of a dish called sakubei (索べい), which some scholars believe was a confection while others think it was an early form of the wheat noodle sōmen. (Sakubei was made from a mixture of wheat flour and rice flour).^[57]
• «Moffles» (waffles made from toasted mochi) were introduced in about 2000.^[58] They are made in a specialized machine as well as a traditional waffle iron.
• Mochi donuts are a hybrid confection originally popularized in Japan by the chain Mister Donut before spreading to the United States via Hawaii.^[59][60] This confection is «a cross between a traditional cake-like doughnut and chewy mochi dough similar to what’s wrapped around ice cream».^[61] The Mister Donut style, also known as «pon de ring», uses tapioca flour and produces mochi donuts that are easy to pull apart. Another variation developed in the United States uses glutinous rice flour which produces a denser mochi donut akin to Hawaiian-style butter mochi.^[59][62][63] Mochi donuts made from glutinous rice flour «typically contain half the amount of calories as the standard cake or yeast doughnut».^[64]

Variations outside Japan[edit]

In Taiwan, a traditional Hakka and Hoklo pounded rice cake was called tauchi (Chinese: 豆糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-chî) and came in various styles and forms just like in Japan. Traditional Hakka tauchi is served as glutinous rice dough, covered with peanut or sesame powder. Not until the Japanese era was Japanese-style mochi introduced and gained popularity. Nowadays, Taiwanese mochi often comes with bean paste fillings.

In China, tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water. Tangyuan is typically filled with black sesame paste or peanut paste and served in the water that it was boiled in.

In Hong Kong and other Cantonese regions, the traditional Lo Mai Chi (Chinese: 糯米糍; Jyutping: no6 mai5 ci4) is made of glutinous rice flour in the shape of a ball, with fillings such as crushed peanuts, coconut, red bean paste, and black sesame paste. It can come in a variety of modern flavors such as green tea, mango, taro, strawberry, and more.

In Philippines, a traditional Filipino sweet snack similar to Japanese mochi is called tikoy (Chinese: 甜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiⁿ-kóe). There is also another delicacy called espasol with a taste similar to Japanese kinako mochi, though made with roasted rice flour (not kinako, roasted soy flour). The Philippines also has several steamed rice snacks with very similar names to mochi, including moche, mache, and masi. These are small steamed rice balls with bean paste or peanut fillings. However they are not derived from the Japanese mochi, but are derivatives of the Chinese jian dui (called buchi in the Philippines). They are also made with the native galapong process, which mixes ground slightly fermented cooked glutinous rice with coconut milk.

In Korea, chapssal-tteok (Hangul: 찹쌀떡) varieties are made of steamed glutinous rice or steamed glutinous rice flour.

In Indonesia, kue moci is usually filled with sweet bean paste and covered with sesame seeds. Kue moci comes from Sukabumi, West Java and Semarang, Central Java.^[65] Another Indonesian mochi is yangko, a Yogyakarta mochi made from glutinuous rice.^[66]

In Malaysia, kuih kochi is made from glutinous rice flour and filled with coconut filling and palm sugar. Another Chinese Malaysian variant, loh mai chi is made with same ingredients but their fillings are filled with crushed peanuts.^[67] There is also kuih tepung gomak, which has similar ingredients and texture to mochi but larger in size. The snack is quite popular in the east coast of Malaysia.^[68][69]

In Singapore, muah chee is made from glutinous rice flour and is usually coated with either crushed peanuts or black sesame seeds.^[70]

In Taiwan, a soft version similar to daifuku is called moachi (Chinese: 麻糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: moâ-chî) in Taiwanese Hokkien and mashu (Chinese: 麻糬; pinyin: máshǔ) in Taiwanese Mandarin.

In Hawaii, a dessert variety called «butter mochi» is made with mochiko, butter, sugar, coconut, and other ingredients then baked to make a sponge cake of sorts.^[71][72]

See also[edit]

• Moon rabbit
• Japanese rice
• Arare
• Hishi mochi
• Hanabiramochi
• Muchi
• Senbei, rice crackers
• Uirō
• Goheimochi

Similar foods in other countries:

• Chapssal-tteok, Korean glutinous rice cakes
• Bánh giầy
• Kochi
• Jian dui
• Nian gao
• Sapin sapin
• Tteok

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Pounding Mochi with the Fastest Mochi Maker in Japan, YouTube.
• The Tale of Granny Mochi: Kuwata Misao — NHK — 2020

Mochi (もち, 餅) is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki (餅搗き).^[1] While eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year, and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.

Mochi is a multicomponent food consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, protein, and water. Mochi has a heterogeneous structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains, and air bubbles.^[2] The rice used for mochi has a negligible amylose content and a high amylopectin level, producing a gel-like consistency.^[3] The protein content of the japonica rice used to make mochi is higher than that of standard short-grain rice.

Mochi is similar to dango, but is made by pounding grains of rice, while dango is made with rice flour.^[4]

History[edit]

The process of steaming glutinous rice and making it into a paste is considered to have its origin in ancient China^[5] and to have been introduced to Japan from Southeast Asia some time after rice cultivation was introduced to Japan at the end of the Jōmon period (c. 14,000–300 BC).^[5][6] Red rice was the original variant used in the production of mochi.^[6]

The cultural significance of mochi in Japan is unique, though it has elements in common with other auspicious foods in other Asian countries.^[5] According to archaeological research, the homemade production of mochi increased beginning in the 6th century (Kofun period), when earthenware steamers became popular in every household, mainly in eastern Japan.^[7]: 267

In the Bungo no kuni fudoki, compiled in the late 8th century in the Nara period, a legend concerning mochi was described. According to the book, when a rich man made a flat mochi from leftover rice and shot an arrow at it, the mochi transformed into a white bird and flew away, and after that, the man’s rice field became desolate and barren. This legend shows that round white mochi was historically held to have spiritual power.^[8]

In the Heian period (794–1185), mochi was often used in Shinto events to celebrate childbirth and marriage. According to the Ōkagami compiled in the 12th century, emperors and nobilities used to put mochi into the mouths of babies that were 50 days old.^[9]: 30 In this period, it became customary in the aristocratic society for the bride and groom to eat mochi together at the bride’s house three days after the wedding.^[10]

The first recorded accounts of mochi being used as a part of New Year’s festivities are from the Heian period. The nobles of the Imperial court believed that long strands of freshly made mochi symbolized long life and well-being, while dried mochi helped strengthen one’s teeth. Accounts of it can also be found in The Tale of Genji.^[11]

The custom of kagami mochi (mirror mochi) began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period. Kagami mochi are composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with a bitter orange (daidai). In welcoming the New Year, samurai decorated kagami mochi with Japanese armour and Japanese swords and would place them in the tokonoma (alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed) to pray for the prosperity of their families in the New Year. When people ate kagami mochi after the New Year period, they avoided cutting it with a hōchō (knife) so as not to violate the kami, and smashed it with a wooden hammer after it naturally dried and cracked.^[12]

Mochi continues to be one of the traditional foods eaten around Japanese New Year and is sold and consumed in abundance around this time. A kagami mochi is placed on family altars (kamidana) on December 28 each year.^[13]

Seasonal specialties[edit]

New Year[edit]

• Kagami mochi is a New Year’s decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called kagami biraki (mirror opening) and placed on family altars on December 28.
• Zōni is a soup containing rice cakes. It is also eaten on New Year’s Day. In addition to mochi, zōni contains vegetables such as taro, carrot, honeywort, and red and white colored kamaboko.
• Kinako mochi is traditionally made on New Year’s Day as an emblem of luck. This style of mochi preparation involves roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, then dipping it into water, and finally coating it with sugar and kinako (soy flour).^[14]

Spring[edit]

The cherry blossom (sakura) is a symbol of Japan and signifies the onset of full-fledged spring. Sakuramochi is a pink-coloured mochi surrounding sweet red bean paste and wrapped in an edible, salted cherry blossom leaf; this dish is usually made during the spring.^[15]

Children’s Day[edit]

Children’s Day is celebrated in Japan on May 5. On this day, the Japanese promote the happiness and well-being of children. Kashiwa-mochi and chimaki are made especially for this celebration.^[15] Kashiwa-mochi is white mochi surrounding a sweet red bean paste filling with a kashiwa oak leaf wrapped around it.^[15]
Chimaki is a variation of a dango wrapped in bamboo leaves.^[15]

Girls’ Day[edit]

Hishi mochi is a ceremonial dessert presented as a ritual offering on the days leading up to Hinamatsuri, or «Girls’ Day» in Japan, on March 3 every year. Hishi mochi is rhomboid-shaped mochi with layers of red, green, and white. The three layers are coloured with jasmine flowers, water caltrop, and mugwort.^[16]

Traditional preparation[edit]

Traditionally, mochi making is an important cultural event in Japan that involves members of a local community or family. Although less common today, the traditional process still exists in most rural areas, as well as in urban temples, shrines, and community spaces, especially in the days leading up to the new year.^[17][18] The traditional process of mochi-pounding (called mochitsuki (餅つき)) involves whole rice as the only ingredient and takes place in three basic steps:

1. Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and steamed.
2. The steamed rice is mashed and pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu).^[19] The work involves two people, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi.^[20] They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure each other with the heavy kine.
3. The sticky mass is cut or formed into shapes, for example spheres.^[20]

Modern preparation[edit]

The modern preparation of mochi uses a sweet flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water and cooked on a stovetop or in the microwave until it forms a sticky, opaque, white mass.^[21] This process is performed twice, stirring the mass in between^[22] until it becomes malleable and slightly transparent.^[23]

With modern equipment, mochi can be made at home, with the technology automating the laborious dough pounding.^[22] Household mochi appliances provide a suitable space where the environment of the dough can be controlled.

The assembly-line sections in mochi production control these aspects:

1. Viscoelasticity or the products’ chewiness by selecting specific species of rice
2. Consistency of the dough during automated pounding process
3. Size
4. Flavourings and fillings

Varieties of glutinous and waxy rice are produced as major raw material for mochi. The rice is chosen for tensile strength and compressibility. One study found that in kantomochi rice 172 and BC3, amylopectin distribution varied and affected the hardness of mochi. Kantomochi rice produced harder, brittle, grainy textures, all undesirable qualities except for ease of cutting.^[24] For mass production, the rice variety should be chewy, but easy to separate.

Generally, two types of machines are used for mochi production in an assembly line. One machine prepares the dough, while the other forms the dough into consistent shapes, unfilled or with filling. The first type of machine controls the temperature at which the rice gelatinizes. One study found that a temperature of 62 °C (144 °F) corresponds to the gelatinization of mochi. When the temperature fell below this point, the hardening was too slow. It was concluded that a processing temperature below 62 °C (144 °F) was unsuitable for dough preparation.^[25]

Processing[edit]

Mochi is a variation of a low-calorie, low-fat rice cake. The cake has two essential raw materials, rice and water. Sticky rice (also called sweet rice, Oryza sativa var. glutinosa, glutinous sticky rice, glutinous rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, pearl rice, and pulut),^[26] whether brown or white, is best for mochi-making, as long-grain varieties will not expand perfectly. Water is essential in the early stages of preparation. Other additives such as salt and other seasonings and flavourings are important for nutritive value and taste. However, additives can cause breakage of the mass, so should not be added to the rice before the cake is formed. The cake must be steamed (rather than boiled) until it gains a smooth and elastic texture. The balls of rice are then flattened and cut into pieces or shaped into rounds.^[20] The machines for mass production are a hugely expensive investment, and the product should have the proper moisture, to appeal to consumers.^{[citation needed]}

Preservation[edit]

While mochi can be refrigerated for a short storage period,^[27] it can also «become hard and not usable.»^[28] The recommended preservation method is by freezing. The best method for freezing involves wrapping each mochi cake tightly in a sealed plastic bag. Although mochi can be kept in a freezer for almost one year, the frozen mochi may lose flavor and softness or get freezer-burned.^[27] Food additives, such as modified tapioca starch, can also extend the shelf life of mochi.^[29]

Ingredients[edit]

Mochi is relatively simple to make, as only a few ingredients are needed for plain mochi. The main ingredient is either shiratamako or mochiko, Japanese sweet glutinous rice flours. Both shiratamako and mochiko are made from mochigome, a type of glutinous short-grain rice. The difference between shiratamako and mochiko comes from texture and processing methods. Shiratamako flour has been more refined and is a finer flour with a smoother, more elastic feel.^[30] Mochiko is less refined and has a doughier texture.

Other ingredients may include water, sugar, and cornstarch (to prevent sticking).^[31] Additional other ingredients can be added to create different variations/flavors.^{[citation needed]}

Nutrition[edit]

The caloric content of a matchbox-sized piece of mochi is comparable to that of a bowl of rice. Japanese farmers were known to consume mochi during the winter to increase their stamina, while samurai took mochi on their expeditions, as it was easy to carry and prepare.^{[citation needed]} Mochi is gluten- and cholesterol-free, as it is made from rice flour.

A single serving of 44.0 g (1.55 oz) has 96 calories (kilocalories), 1.0 g (0.035 oz) of fat, but no trans or saturated fat, 1.0 mg (0.015 gr) of sodium, 22.0 g (0.78 oz) of carbohydrates, no dietary fiber, 6.0 g (0.21 oz) of sugar, and 1.0 g (0.035 oz) of protein.^[32]

Chemistry and structural composition of glutinous rice[edit]

Amylose and amylopectin are both components of starch and polysaccharides made from D-glucose units. The big difference between the two is that amylose is linear because it only has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin, though, is a branched polysaccharide because it has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds with occasional αlpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds^[33] around every 22 D-glucose units.^[34] Glutinous rice is nearly 100%^[35] composed of amylopectin and almost completely lacks its counterpart, amylose, in its starch granules. A nonglutinous rice grain contains amylose at about 10–30% weight by weight and amylopectin at about 70–90% weight by weight.^[33]

Glutinous or waxy type of starches occur in maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. An interesting characteristic of glutinous rice is that it stains red when iodine is added, whereas nonglutinous rice stains blue.^[35] This phenomenon occurs when iodine is mixed with iodide to form tri-iodide and penta-iodide. Penta-iodide intercalates between the starch molecules and stains amylose and amylopectin blue and red, respectively.^[36] The gelation and viscous texture of glutinous rice is due to amylopectin being more hygroscopic^[37] than amylose, thus water enters the starch granule, causing it to swell, while the amylose leaves the starch granule and becomes part of a colloidal solution.^[38] In other words, the higher the amylopectin content, the higher the swelling of the starch granule.^[39]

Though the amylopectin content plays a major role in the defined characteristic of viscosity in glutinous rice, factors such as heat also play a very important role in the swelling, since it enhances the uptake of water into the starch granule significantly. ^[40]

The high amylopectin content of waxy or glutinous starches is genetically controlled by the waxy or wax gene. Its quality of greater viscosity and gelation is dependent on the distribution of the amylopectin unit chains.^[33] Grains that have this gene are considered mutants, which explains why most of them are selectively bred to create a grain that is close to having or has a 0% amylose content.^[35] The table below summarizes the amylose and amylopectin content of different starches, waxy and nonwaxy:

The soaking of the glutinous rice is an elemental step in the preparation of mochi, either traditionally or industrially. During this process, glutinous rice decreases in protein content as it is soaked in water. The chemicals that make up the flavour of plain or «natural» mochi are ethyl acetate, ethanol, 2-butanol, 2 methyl 1-propanol, 1-butanol, isoamyl alcohol, 1-pentanol and propane acid.^[42]

Mochi is usually composed solely of glutinous rice, however, some variations may include the additions of salt, spices and flavourings such as cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde).^[43] Food additives such as sucrose, sorbitol or glycerol may be added to increase viscosity and therefore increase gelatinization. Additives that slow down retrogradation are not usually added since amylopectin has a very stable shelf life due to its high amylopectin content.^[44]

Viscoelasticity[edit]

Mochi’s characteristic chewiness is due to the polysaccharides in it. The viscosity and elasticity that account for this chewiness are affected by many factors such as the starch concentration, configuration of the swollen starch granules, the conditions of heating (temperature, heating period and rate of heating) as well as the junction zones that interconnect each polymer chain. The more junction zones the substance has, the stronger the cohesiveness of the gel, thereby forming a more solid-like material. The perfect mochi has the perfect balance between viscosity and elasticity so that it is not inextensible and fragile but rather extensible yet firm.^[45]

Many tests have been conducted on the factors that affect the viscoelastic properties of mochi. As puncture tests show, samples with a higher solid (polysaccharide) content show an increased resistance and thereby a stronger and tougher gel. This increased resistance to the puncture test indicate that an increase in solute concentration leads to a more rigid and harder gel with an increased cohesiveness, internal binding, elasticity and springiness which means a decrease in material flow or an increase in viscosity. These results can also be brought about by an increase in heating time.

Sensory assessments of the hardness, stickiness and elasticity of mochi and their relationship with solute concentration and heating time were performed. Similar to the puncture test results, sensory tests determine that hardness and elasticity increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration. However, stickiness of the samples increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration until a certain level, above which the reverse is observed.

These relationships are important because too hard or elastic a mochi is undesirable, as is one that is too sticky and will stick to walls of the container.^[45]

Health hazards[edit]

Suffocation deaths are caused by mochi every year in Japan, especially among elderly people.^[46][47][48] In 2015, it was reported that according to the Tokyo Fire Department – which responds to choking cases – more than 100 people were hospitalised per year for choking on mochi in Tokyo alone. Also in Tokyo, between 2006 and 2009 there were 18 reported deaths resulting from choking on mochi. As a result of this risk, Japanese authorities put out yearly warnings, advising people to cut mochi into small pieces before consumption.^[46]

Popular uses[edit]

Mochi may be eaten alone as a major component of a main meal, and is used as an ingredient in other prepared foods.

Confectionery[edit]

Many types of traditional wagashi and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste (anko) or white bean paste (shiro an).^[49] Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry inside.^[50]

Kusa mochi is a green variety of mochi flavored with mugwort (yomogi).^[51][49] When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.^[52][53]

Ice cream[edit]

Small balls of ice cream are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream. In Japan, this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte under the name Yukimi Daifuku, «snow-viewing daifuku«.

Soup[edit]

• Oshiruko or ozenzai is a sweet azuki bean soup with pieces of mochi. In winter, Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves.
• Chikara udon (meaning «power udon») is a dish consisting of udon noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi.
• Zōni. See New Year specialties below.

Other variations[edit]

• Dango is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour).^[4]
• Warabimochi is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from bracken starch and covered or dipped in kinako (soybean flour) with sugar. It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike ice cream trucks in Western countries.^[54]
• Manjū (饅頭/まんじゅう) is not a true mochi, but a popular traditional Japanese confection made of flour, rice powder, buckwheat, and red bean paste.^[4]
• Yōkan (羊羮) is a thick, jelly-like dessert. It is made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar.^[4] There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan.^[55][56]
• Sakumochi (索餅) is deep fried rice cake twisted into a rope shape. It is often consumed during the Japanese Star Festival called tanabata. There is some confusion about its origin based on evidence from historical records of a dish called sakubei (索べい), which some scholars believe was a confection while others think it was an early form of the wheat noodle sōmen. (Sakubei was made from a mixture of wheat flour and rice flour).^[57]
• «Moffles» (waffles made from toasted mochi) were introduced in about 2000.^[58] They are made in a specialized machine as well as a traditional waffle iron.
• Mochi donuts are a hybrid confection originally popularized in Japan by the chain Mister Donut before spreading to the United States via Hawaii.^[59][60] This confection is «a cross between a traditional cake-like doughnut and chewy mochi dough similar to what’s wrapped around ice cream».^[61] The Mister Donut style, also known as «pon de ring», uses tapioca flour and produces mochi donuts that are easy to pull apart. Another variation developed in the United States uses glutinous rice flour which produces a denser mochi donut akin to Hawaiian-style butter mochi.^[59][62][63] Mochi donuts made from glutinous rice flour «typically contain half the amount of calories as the standard cake or yeast doughnut».^[64]

Variations outside Japan[edit]

In Taiwan, a traditional Hakka and Hoklo pounded rice cake was called tauchi (Chinese: 豆糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-chî) and came in various styles and forms just like in Japan. Traditional Hakka tauchi is served as glutinous rice dough, covered with peanut or sesame powder. Not until the Japanese era was Japanese-style mochi introduced and gained popularity. Nowadays, Taiwanese mochi often comes with bean paste fillings.

In China, tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water. Tangyuan is typically filled with black sesame paste or peanut paste and served in the water that it was boiled in.

In Hong Kong and other Cantonese regions, the traditional Lo Mai Chi (Chinese: 糯米糍; Jyutping: no6 mai5 ci4) is made of glutinous rice flour in the shape of a ball, with fillings such as crushed peanuts, coconut, red bean paste, and black sesame paste. It can come in a variety of modern flavors such as green tea, mango, taro, strawberry, and more.

In Philippines, a traditional Filipino sweet snack similar to Japanese mochi is called tikoy (Chinese: 甜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiⁿ-kóe). There is also another delicacy called espasol with a taste similar to Japanese kinako mochi, though made with roasted rice flour (not kinako, roasted soy flour). The Philippines also has several steamed rice snacks with very similar names to mochi, including moche, mache, and masi. These are small steamed rice balls with bean paste or peanut fillings. However they are not derived from the Japanese mochi, but are derivatives of the Chinese jian dui (called buchi in the Philippines). They are also made with the native galapong process, which mixes ground slightly fermented cooked glutinous rice with coconut milk.

In Korea, chapssal-tteok (Hangul: 찹쌀떡) varieties are made of steamed glutinous rice or steamed glutinous rice flour.

In Indonesia, kue moci is usually filled with sweet bean paste and covered with sesame seeds. Kue moci comes from Sukabumi, West Java and Semarang, Central Java.^[65] Another Indonesian mochi is yangko, a Yogyakarta mochi made from glutinuous rice.^[66]

In Malaysia, kuih kochi is made from glutinous rice flour and filled with coconut filling and palm sugar. Another Chinese Malaysian variant, loh mai chi is made with same ingredients but their fillings are filled with crushed peanuts.^[67] There is also kuih tepung gomak, which has similar ingredients and texture to mochi but larger in size. The snack is quite popular in the east coast of Malaysia.^[68][69]

In Singapore, muah chee is made from glutinous rice flour and is usually coated with either crushed peanuts or black sesame seeds.^[70]

In Taiwan, a soft version similar to daifuku is called moachi (Chinese: 麻糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: moâ-chî) in Taiwanese Hokkien and mashu (Chinese: 麻糬; pinyin: máshǔ) in Taiwanese Mandarin.

In Hawaii, a dessert variety called «butter mochi» is made with mochiko, butter, sugar, coconut, and other ingredients then baked to make a sponge cake of sorts.^[71][72]

See also[edit]

• Moon rabbit
• Japanese rice
• Arare
• Hishi mochi
• Hanabiramochi
• Muchi
• Senbei, rice crackers
• Uirō
• Goheimochi

Similar foods in other countries:

• Chapssal-tteok, Korean glutinous rice cakes
• Bánh giầy
• Kochi
• Jian dui
• Nian gao
• Sapin sapin
• Tteok

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Pounding Mochi with the Fastest Mochi Maker in Japan, YouTube.
• The Tale of Granny Mochi: Kuwata Misao — NHK — 2020

Морфемный разбор слова:

Однокоренные слова к слову:

Моти по японски как пишется

Моти (яп. 餅 ) — японская лепёшка, сделанная из истолчённого в пасту клейкого риса особого сорта мотигомэ и раскатанная в форму. Традиционный процесс создания таких лепёшек называется мотицуки. Моти употребляют в пищу на протяжении всего года, однако наибольший спрос на него возникает накануне Нового года. Моти также известен на Гавайях, в Южной Корее, Китайской Республике, в Камбодже и в Таиланде.

Содержание

Приготовление

По сложившейся традиции, моти делают из риса посредством ручной обработки. Традиционная церемония приготовления моти в Японии — мотицуки состоит из следующих действий:

Моти также можно приготовить из муки и сладкого риса (мотико). Муку смешивают с водой до получения липкой непрозрачной белой массы. Далее эту массу готовят в обычной либо микроволновой печи до упругого полупрозрачного состояния.

Использование моти

Кондитерские изделия

Из моти делают много видов традиционных японских сладостей (вагаси и мотигаси). Например, дайфуку — это мягкий круглый моти со сладкой начинкой, например пастой из красной (ан) или белой (сиро ан) фасоли. Итиго дайфуку имеет клубничную начинку.

Куса моти — разновидность моти зелёного цвета со вкусом пижмы (ёмоги). Дайфуку, сделанную из куса моти, называют ёмоги дайфуку.

Мороженое

Небольшие шарики мороженого заворачивают в моти и получают мороженое-моти. В Японии этот продукт выпускается корпорацией Lotte под названием «Юкими дайфуку» («снежный дайфуку»). В США также продаётся мороженое-моти со вкусами шоколада, манго, кокоса, зеленого чая, кофе, ванили и клубники.

Новогодние блюда

Разное

Примечания

См. также

Полезное

Смотреть что такое «Моти» в других словарях:

МОТИ — Московский областной туберкулёзный институт Московская обл., образование и наука … Словарь сокращений и аббревиатур

Моти — толстые лепешки, приготовленные из толченого вареного риса, которые едят отдельно или используют в виде добавок в супе. Моти приготавливают и в виде сладостей, в этом случае в них добавляют сахар и другие вкусовые компоненты, иногда подкрашивают … Вся Япония

моти́в — 1) а, м. Побудительная причина, основание, повод к какому л. действию, поступку. Кроме повара, гневались и на лакеев, прислуживавших за столом. Мотивы были самые разнообразные; не так ступил, не так подал, не так взглянул. Салтыков Щедрин,… … Малый академический словарь

МОТИ — Московский областной туберкулезный институт … Словарь сокращений русского языка

хро́моти́пия — хромотипия, и … Русское словесное ударение

Мечеть Моти — Мечеть Моти в Агре была построена при Шах Джахане. Название происходит от того, что сияние её куполов напоминает жемчуг. Считается, что эта мечеть была построена Шахом Джаханом для членов своего королевского суда. Архитектура Мечеть стоит под… … Википедия

мотив — [причина] сущ., м., употр. сравн. часто Морфология: (нет) чего? мотива, чему? мотиву, (вижу) что? мотив, чем? мотивом, о чём? о мотиве; мн. что? мотивы, (нет) чего? мотивов, чему? мотивам, (вижу) что? мотивы, чем? мотивами, о чём? о мотивах… … Толковый словарь Дмитриева

мотив — мотив, мотивы, мотива, мотивов, мотиву, мотивам, мотив, мотивы, мотивом, мотивами, мотиве, мотивах (Источник: «Полная акцентуированная парадигма по А. А. Зализняку») … Формы слов

мотивчик — мотивчик, мотивчики, мотивчика, мотивчиков, мотивчику, мотивчикам, мотивчик, мотивчики, мотивчиком, мотивчиками, мотивчике, мотивчиках (Источник: «Полная акцентуированная парадигма по А. А. Зализняку») … Формы слов

мотивы — (психол.), то, что побуждает деятельность человека, ради чего она совершается. В широком смысле к мотивам в психологии относят потребности и инстинкты, влечения и эмоции, установки и идеалы. См. также Мотивации. * * * МОТИВЫ МОТИВЫ, в психологии… … Энциклопедический словарь

Источник

Японский десерт моти: странный и жевательный

Знакомьтесь с рисовым десертом из Японии: странным для русского человека, с жевательной структурой и необычной гаммой вкусов.

Круглые шарики моти (иногда их называют «мочи») с разнообразными начинками сегодня набирают популярность и у нас в стране. Хотя многие ошибочно считают их конфетами. На деле, это рисовые пироги или пирожки. Но это не все варианты этого блюда.

Моти — что это такое?

Моти — это японский пирог из рисового теста, приготовленный из перемолотого парового клейкого риса, в различных реализациях.

Кулинарное применение не ограничивается исключительно десертными блюдами. Помимо сладостей, моти в Японии добавляют в супы и другие горячие блюда.

Круглые моти с начинками

Только что приготовленный, плоский и круглый моти очень пластичный, мягкий, липкий и жевательный. Представляет собой сладкие булочки или пирожки. Такой продукт желательно съедать сразу, так как он быстро высыхает и твердеет. Это те самые круглые рисовые пирожки со сладкими начинками, которые так приглянулись нашим сладкоежкам.

Кири моти

Другая разновидность — прямоугольные моти — кири моти или каки моти. Такие рисовые лепешки имеют форму плоских квадратов или прямоугольников. Они плотные и твердые, поэтому требуют термической обработки. Японцы обжаривают их на гриле или во фритюре, отваривают.

Применение в кулинарии

Как же едят моти в Японии, и в каких кулинарных шедеврах их используют?

Традиционные закуски

Норимаки моти — кусочки пирога в листах нори, заправленные сладким соевым соусом.

Кинако моти

Кинако моти — круглые рисовые пирожки, посыпанные кинако (сладкой обжаренной соевой мукой) и сахарной смесью.

Тофу моти

Тофу моти — миниатюрные кусочки моти из тофу и рисовой муки, со сладкой посыпкой кинако.

Национальные супы

Сябу-сябу с моти

Сукияки

Сукияки — очень похожее на сябу-сябу блюдо, только более сладкое, и без ярко выраженного мясного вкуса; в числе традиционных ингредиентов также «затесались» моти.

Лапша чикара удон

Десертные блюда

Десерты включают сладкие супы и вагаси (классического лакомства из рисового теста с разнообразными растительными начинками).

Самый популярный в Японии сладкий вариант — традиционный десерт в форме пирожка из клейкого риса, заполненный пастой из красной фасоли (анко), пусть и считается, что родом он из Китая. Эту сладость местные жители всегда едят в канун Нового года.

Сладкие виды и начинки

Сакура моти — сладкие пирожные, обернутые солеными листьями сакуры (цветущей вишни); их по традиции употребляют в японский День девочек и во время Ханами (Праздника цветущей сакуры).

Чи чи данго моти

Чи чи данго моти – тягучие, мягкие и сладкие прямоугольники на один укус с добавлением кокосового молока; внешне напоминают рахат-лукум.

Кашива

Кашива моти — рисовый пирожок, начиненный сладкой красной фасолью, обернутый дубовым листом; традиционное угощение в Японии на Детский день, или День мальчиков.

Чимаки

Чимаки моти — липкий рисовый пирог, завернутый в бамбуковый лист, благодаря чему приобретает форму палочки.

Дайфуку

Дайфуку моти — большая, мягкая и круглая лепешка, начиненная сладкой пастой из красных бобов; классический вариант традиционного японского угощения.

Ичиго дайфуку с клубникой

Ичиго дайфуку — небольшая рисовая лепешка и настоящее лакомство, ведь внутри нее находится свежая клубника.

Дзензай

Дзензай — Сладкий суп из красной фасоли с предварительно поджаренными мелкими рисовыми шариками (ширатама моти). От этого домашнего десерта японцы просто без ума.

Моти тыквенные

Тыквенные моти — знаменуют приход осени; готовятся из запеченной сладкой смеси отварной тыквы и рисового теста моти; встречают как в виде плотных прямоугольников, так и в виде круглых пирожков, начиненных все той же тыквой.

Мороженое в моти

Охаги

Бота моти (охаги) — десерт-перевертыш, в котором шарик моти находится внутри, а покрывает его сладкая паста из красной фасоли.

Куса моти

Куса моти делают с добавлением йомоги (полыни обыкновенной, или чернобыльника); десерт имеет зеленую окраску и лиственный аромат, поэтому часто именуется «травяным моти»; чаще всего начиняется пастой из красных бобов (анко).

Яцухаси

Яцухаси — запеченные или сырые моти в форме треугольников, придуманные в Киото, со всевозможными начинками, но чаще всего с корицей.

Ханабира моти

Ханабира моти по внешнему виду напоминает цветочный лепесток («ханабири» на японском языке). Под тончайшим полупрозрачным тестом проглядывается розовая начинка из смеси красной фасоли и корня лопуха.

Яки мочи

Яки моти насаживают на деревянный вертел и поджаривают на огне или горячих углях, чтобы твердое рисовое тесто раздулось и снова стало мягким. Название этого блюда — игра слов, по-японски означающая «ревность».

Моти данго

Данго моти — похожи на яки моти, и представляют собой вертел с тремя маленькими шариками моти, иногда разной окраски. Бывают простыми, жареными и покрытыми карамелью на основе соевого соуса.

Хиси моти

Хиси моти («хиси» означает «алмаз») — трехслойный десерт ромбовидной формы. Этот съедобный символа плодородия начинает продаваться весной — ко Дню девушек.

Анмицу

Анмицу — готовят агар-агара, пасты из красной фасоли, фруктов, шариков моти и мороженого. Все это богатство поливают сладким сиропом.

В США особенно популярно мороженое моти с разными наполнителями, которое заворачивают в липкое рисовое тесто, и подают охлажденным.

Распространенные вкусовые вариации: ваниль, шоколад, клубника, кофе, зеленый чай, красное вино и красная фасоль (куда же без нее).

Происхождение моти

История моти уходит корнями в традиции японской культуры и тесно связана с ключевой ролью риса как основной пищи в Японии и ритуалом благодарения синтоистских богов за урожай.

В древности продукт считался священным, обладающим божественным присутствием. Моти ели, когда молились о здоровье и удаче.

Моти — старейший продукт с тысячелетней историей, появившийся в Японии в конце периода Джомон (300 г до н. э.). Неудивительно, что он занимает особое место в сердцах японцев.

Изначально его использовали в качестве подношения во время религиозных церемоний при Хэйане (794-1185 гг). В эпоху Муромати (1336-1573 гг) он уже появился на столах местной знати и сразу стал важным элементом чайных церемоний. Ведь благодаря сладкому вкусу он чудесно гармонирует с горечью зеленого чая.

Моти подают как традиционный десерт на многих важных мероприятиях, в том числе на японском фестивале Мацури или в конце года, когда этот маленький рисовый пельмень как по волшебству появляется на столах местных жителей.

Сегодня моти едят круглый год, хотя он по-прежнему ассоциируется с фестивалями и праздниками, в том числе японским Новым годом.

Как делают моти

Традиционный способ приготовления — тяжелая работа, с которой с трудом может справиться один человек.

Моти быстро твердеет, поэтому для сохранности его заворачивают в японскую бумагу, замораживают и хранят до года. После извлечения из морозильника моти достаточно обжарить, сварить или приготовить на гриле, чтобы он вернуть первоначальное состояние.

Эта рисовая лепешка является основой особого религиозного блюда — кагами моти, появляющаяся в синтоистских храмах во время новогодних церемоний.

Но готовят его за несколько недель до Сегацу (японского Нового года) — обычно в конце декабря.

Многие японцы выходят на улицу, чтобы понаблюдать за публичным процессом замешивания моти — мотицуки. И это настоящее шоу!

Свежеприготовленный на пару рис помещают в огромную ступку, которая почти по пояс среднестатистическому японцу.

Сбрызгивают водой и растирают большими деревянными молотками до однородности.

В процессе участвуют 2 (иногда 3) человека. Один мужчина рьяно колотит тесто деревянными молотками. А второй постоянно поворачивает моти, сбрызгивает его водой, и задает темп, громко выкрикивая: «Ичи, ни, сан…» (в переводе — «раз, два, три…»). Это позволяет предотвратить столкновение молотков при поворотах и смачивании горячей пасты.

Затем подготовленная рисовая паста затвердевает, и может храниться в таком состоянии несколько недель.

После того как тесто становится гладким и эластичным, его рвут на более мелкие кусочки и формируют круглые или полукруглые шарики.

Сегодня, разумеется, существуют машины, позволяющие облегчить этот процесс. Любители моти могут приготовить его с помощью кухонного прибора mochi maker, продающегося в некоторых японских магазинах и в Интернете.

Где в Японии можно купить моти

Турист найдет множество версий моти по всей Японии: в круглосуточных магазинах, супермаркетах, универмагах, специализированных магазинчиках (конбини мочи) и в депачика — фуд-холлах, расположенных в подвалах крупных торговых центров.

Помимо этого, мочи можно попробовать в японских садах на традиционных чайных церемониях.

Даже в самой Японии моти часто бывают довольно дорогими, если покупать их в магазине, и чересчур дорогими, если лакомиться ими в ресторанах.

Из-за липкой жевательной структуры моти важно откусываться маленькие кусочки и тщательно пережевывать, иначе можно подавиться. В Японии подобные случаи происходят каждый год, хотя это не умаляет любви местных жителей к национальному рисовому пирогу.

Источник

Моти по японски как пишется

Смотреть что такое «Моти» в других словарях:

Моти — Моти (яп. 餅) японская лепёшка, сделанная из истолчённого в пасту клейкого риса особого сорта мотигомэ и раскатанная в форму. Тради … Википедия

МОТИ — Московский областной туберкулёзный институт Московская обл., образование и наука … Словарь сокращений и аббревиатур

моти́в — 1) а, м. Побудительная причина, основание, повод к какому л. действию, поступку. Кроме повара, гневались и на лакеев, прислуживавших за столом. Мотивы были самые разнообразные; не так ступил, не так подал, не так взглянул. Салтыков Щедрин,… … Малый академический словарь

МОТИ — Московский областной туберкулезный институт … Словарь сокращений русского языка

хро́моти́пия — хромотипия, и … Русское словесное ударение

Мечеть Моти — Мечеть Моти в Агре была построена при Шах Джахане. Название происходит от того, что сияние её куполов напоминает жемчуг. Считается, что эта мечеть была построена Шахом Джаханом для членов своего королевского суда. Архитектура Мечеть стоит под… … Википедия

мотив — [причина] сущ., м., употр. сравн. часто Морфология: (нет) чего? мотива, чему? мотиву, (вижу) что? мотив, чем? мотивом, о чём? о мотиве; мн. что? мотивы, (нет) чего? мотивов, чему? мотивам, (вижу) что? мотивы, чем? мотивами, о чём? о мотивах… … Толковый словарь Дмитриева

мотив — мотив, мотивы, мотива, мотивов, мотиву, мотивам, мотив, мотивы, мотивом, мотивами, мотиве, мотивах (Источник: «Полная акцентуированная парадигма по А. А. Зализняку») … Формы слов

мотивчик — мотивчик, мотивчики, мотивчика, мотивчиков, мотивчику, мотивчикам, мотивчик, мотивчики, мотивчиком, мотивчиками, мотивчике, мотивчиках (Источник: «Полная акцентуированная парадигма по А. А. Зализняку») … Формы слов

мотивы — (психол.), то, что побуждает деятельность человека, ради чего она совершается. В широком смысле к мотивам в психологии относят потребности и инстинкты, влечения и эмоции, установки и идеалы. См. также Мотивации. * * * МОТИВЫ МОТИВЫ, в психологии… … Энциклопедический словарь

Источник

Что такое знаменитый японский десерт Моти и можно ли его приготовить самому?

Японская кухня полна необычных, ярких блюд, аналогов которым нет ни в одном уголке мира. Есть в Стране восходящего солнца и эксклюзивные десерты, например, Моти, которыми японцы по праву гордятся. Что это за диковинное блюдо, чем оно знаменито и можно ли его приготовить самостоятельно?

Японские десерты существенно отличаются от европейских, восточных и даже большинства азиатских. Некоторые из них готовятся методом выпечки, но при этом не так опасны для талии как мучные десерты других стран мира. Моти, наоборот, не только не вреден для здоровья, но и может считаться полезной для человека сладостью.

Почему моти так называется

Моти можно коротко описать как пирожное, на основе рисового теста, приготовленного особым способом. Первое упоминание о десерте Моти относится к 8 веку н.э. Это кушанье получило свое название в честь основного своего компонента – теста моти, приготавливаемого из пропаренного риса сорта mochi-mai. Этот рис отличается клейкостью и сладким вкусом, поэтому только он подходит для пирожного моти.

Готовить моти – дело для двоих

Сам процесс приготовления рисового теста довольно трудоемкий и требует силы, выносливости и осторожности. Сначала пропаренный рис толкут деревянными колотушками «kine» в ступе под названием «usu». Независимо от объема теста, этим делом должны заниматься два человека. Один толчет рис, а второй следит за степенью его готовности, перемешивает моти и, если нужно, подливает в ступу воду.

Оба кулинара должны работать слаженно и не отвлекаться, иначе тяжелая колотушка может травмировать руки ассистента. Рис толчется не менее 40 минут и тесто моти можно считать готовым, когда оно станет мягким, вязким и упругим. Готовое тесто можно использовать в разных целях. Его раскатывают, нарезают и высушивают, или делают из него небольшие лепешки.

Почему моти – это не просто пирожное

В современной японской кухне моти чаще всего используют как сырье для приготовления целой группы десертов, известных под общим названием «Моти». Рецептов этих сладостей очень много – это мягкие паровые булочки с разнообразной сладкой начинкой, мороженые, глазированные и даже жареные моти.

Дети больше всего любят мороженое моти в виде небольших шариков, обмотанных тестом и пирожные дайфуку моти, которые готовят со множеством различных начинок. Десерты Моти – это не только вкусно, но и полезно. Учеными доказано, что в этом десерте на удивление мало сахара. При этом его основной компонент – рис, который сохраняет свои основные питательные свойства.

Каждый, кто следит за своей фигурой и старается питаться правильно, знает о пользе рисовой муки. Она не содержит глютен, а значит менее опасна для фигуры, чем пшеничная. Также Моти рекомендуют людям с анемией, сахарным диабетом, нарушениями пищеварения и даже тем, у кого ослабленный иммунитет.

К сожалению, в домашних условиях рисовые десерты моти приготовить будет непросто. И еще сложнее найти у нас особый сорт риса, пригодный для этой цели. Поэтому этим блюдом лучше наслаждаться в ресторане японской кухни. А в идеале стоит попробовать его в самой Стране восходящего солнца.

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Источник

Моти (яп. 餅) — японская лепёшка, сделанная из истолчённого в пасту клейкого риса особого сорта мотигомэ и раскатанная в форму. Традиционный процесс создания таких лепёшек называется мотицуки. Моти употребляют в пищу на протяжении всего года, однако наибольший спрос на него возникает накануне Нового года. Моти также известен на Гавайях, в Южной Корее, Китайской Республике, в Камбодже и в Таиланде.

Приготовление

По сложившейся традиции, моти делают из риса посредством ручной обработки. Традиционная церемония приготовления моти в Японии — мотицуки состоит из следующих действий:

1. Шлифованный клейкий рис замачивают на ночь и варят.
2. Варёный рис толкут деревянным молотом в традиционной ступе (усу). В этом процессе заняты два человека, поочередно сменяющие друг друга. Один из них толчёт моти, а второй мешает и смачивает его. Они должны работать в очень четком постоянном ритме, иначе один из них может травмировать другого тяжёлым молотом.
3. После этого липкой массе придают определённую форму (обычно сферическую или кубическую).

Моти также можно приготовить из муки и сладкого риса (мотико). Муку смешивают с водой до получения липкой непрозрачной белой массы. Далее эту массу готовят в обычной либо микроволновой печи до упругого полупрозрачного состояния.

Использование моти

Кондитерские изделия

Из моти делают много видов традиционных японских сладостей (вагаси и мотигаси). Например, дайфуку — это мягкий круглый моти со сладкой начинкой, например пастой из красной (ан) или белой (сиро ан) фасоли. Итиго дайфуку имеет клубничную начинку.

Куса моти — разновидность моти зелёного цвета со вкусом пижмы (ёмоги). Дайфуку, сделанную из куса моти, называют ёмоги дайфуку.

Мороженое

Небольшие шарики мороженого заворачивают в моти и получают мороженое-моти. В Японии этот продукт выпускается корпорацией Lotte под названием «Юкими дайфуку» («снежный дайфуку»). В США также продаётся мороженое-моти со вкусами шоколада, манго, кокоса, зеленого чая, кофе, ванили и клубники.

Супы

• Осируко, или одзэндзаи, — сладкий суп из бобов адзуки и кусочков моти. Его японцы зачастую едят зимой чтобы согреться.
• Тикара удон (что значит «удон силы») — суп, в состав которого входит лапша удон (толстая лапша из пшеничной муки, популярная в Японии) и поджаренный моти.

Новогодние блюда

• Кагами моти — это новогоднее украшение, которое традиционно ломают и едят в ходе ритуала Кагами бираки (открытие зеркал).
• В состав супа дзони входят моти, разнообразные овощи, такие как колоказия (таро), морковь, воскоцветник, а также красный и белый камабоко. Этот суп также популярен на новый год.
• Считается, что употребление кинако моти на Новый год приносит удачу. Этот вид моти готовят, обжаривая моти на огне или в печи, а затем погружая в воду. После этого кусочки покрывают тонким слоем соевой муки (кинако) с сахаром.

Разное

• Данго — подаваемые с соусом шарики, приготовленные из мотико — муки из риса сорта мотигомэ.
• Варабимоти — похожая на желе сладость, которую делают из папоротникового крахмала и покрывают соевой мукой (кинако) с сахаром. Это лакомство популярно в летнее время, его часто продают с фургонов.
• Недавно была придумана новая сладость — «моффлес» (вафли из обжаренного моти). Эту сладость можно приготовить как в специальных агрегатах, так и в обычных вафельницах.
• Филиппинская лепёшка палитау произошла от японской моти. Отличается от последней добавлением кунжутных семечек.
• Ежегодно во время новогодних праздников в Японии погибает несколько пожилых людей и детей, подавившихся кексами моти.^[1]

Примечания

См. также

	Моти на Викискладе?

• Тток — корейская разновидность десертов из рисовой муки.

A Mochi (Japanese: 餅, もち) is Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.

Mochi is a multicomponent food consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, protein and water. Mochi has a heterogeneous structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains, and air bubbles. This rice is characterized by its low level of amylose starch, and is derived from short- or medium-grain japonica rices. The protein concentration of the rice is higher than that of normal short-grain rice, and the two also differ in amylose content. In mochi rice, the amylose content is negligible, and the amylopectin level is high, which results in its gel-like consistency.

Mochi is similar to dango, but is made using pounded intact grains of rice, while dango is made of rice flour.

History

The process of steaming glutinous rice and making it into a paste is considered to have its origin in ancient China, but this process is considered to have been introduced to Japan from Southeast Asia some time after rice cultivation was introduced to Japan at the end of the Jomon period. Red rice was the original variation used in the production of mochi.

Since the Japanese have a fondness for the particular stickiness of mochi, they have developed a unique mochi culture while having elements in common with similar foods in other Asian countries. According to archaeological research, it is considered that the opportunity to make mochi increased since the sixth century in the Kofun period, when earthenware steamers became popular in every household mainly in eastern Japan.

In Bungo no kuni fudoki compiled in the late eighth century in the Nara period, a legend concerning mochi was described. According to the book, when a rich man made a flat mochi from the remaining rice and shot an arrow at it, the mochi transformed into a white bird and flew away, and after that, the man’s rice field became desolate and poor. This legend shows that ancient Japanese believed that white round mochi had spiritual power.

In the Heian period, mochi was often used in Shinto events to celebrate childbirth and marriage. According to Ōkagami compiled in the 12th century, emperors and nobilities used to put mochi into the mouths of babies 50 days old. In this period, it became customary in the aristocratic society for the bride and groom to eat mochi together at the bride’s house three days after the wedding.

The first recorded accounts of mochi being used as a part of New Year’s festivities are from the Japanese Heian period. The nobles of the imperial court believed that long strands of freshly made mochi symbolized long life and well-being, while dried mochi helped strengthen one’s teeth. Accounts of it can also be found in the oldest Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji. The custom of kagami mochi (mirror mochi) began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period. Kagami mochi is composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with an orange (daidai). In welcoming the New Year, samurai decorated kagami mochi with Japanese armour and Japanese swords in the tokonoma (alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed) to pray for the prosperity of their families in the New Year. When people ate kagami mochi after the New Year period, they avoided cutting it with a hōchō (knife) so as not to violate the kami, and smashed it with a wooden hammer after it naturally dried and cracked.

Even today, mochi continues to be one of the traditional foods eaten around Japanese New Year, as it is sold and consumed in abundance around this time. A kagami mochi , is placed on family altars (kamidana) on December 28 each year.

Seasonal specialities

New Year

• Kagami mochi is a New Year decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called kagami biraki (mirror opening).
• Zōni is a soup containing rice cakes. It is also eaten on New Year’s Day. In addition to mochi, zōni contains vegetables such as taro, carrot, honeywort, and red and white colored kamaboko.
• Kinako mochi is traditionally made on New Year’s Day as an emblem of luck. This style of mochi preparation involves roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, then dipping it into water, finally coating it with sugar and kinako (soy flour).

Spring time

The cherry blossom (sakura), is a symbol of Japan and signifies the onset of full-fledged spring. Sakuramochi is a pink-coloured mochi surrounding sweet anko and wrapped in an edible, salted cherry leaf; this dish is usually made during the spring.

Children’s Day

Children’s Day is celebrated in Japan on May 5. On this day, the Japanese promote the happiness and well-being of children. Kashiwa-mochi and chimaki are made especially for this celebration. Kashiwa-mochi is white mochi surrounding a sweet anko filling with a Kashiwa oak leaf wrapped around it. Chimaki is a variation of a dango wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Girls’ Day

Hishi mochi is a ceremonial dessert presented as a ritual offering on the days leading up to Hinamatsuri or «Girls’ Day» in Japan. Hishi mochi is rhomboid-shaped mochi with layers of red, green, and white. The three layers are coloured with jasmine flowers, water caltrop, and mugwort.

Traditional preparation

Traditionally, mochi was made from whole rice, in a labor-intensive process. The traditional mochi-pounding ceremony in Japan is mochitsuki:

1. Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and steamed.
2. The steamed rice is mashed and pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu). The work involves two people, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi.  They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure each other with the heavy kine.
3. The sticky mass is cut or formed into shapes, for example spheres.

Modern preparation

Mochi is prepared from a flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water and cooked on a stovetop or in the microwave until it forms a sticky, opaque, white mass. This process is performed twice, and the mass is stirred in between until it becomes malleable and slightly transparent. With modern equipment, mochi can be made at home, with the technology automating the laborious dough pounding. Household mochi appliances provide a suitable space where the environment of the dough can be controlled.

The assembly-line sections in mochi production control these aspects:

1. Viscoelasticity or the products’ chewiness by selecting specific species of rice
2. Consistency of the dough during automated pounding process
3. Size
4. Flavourings and fillings

Varieties of glutinous and waxy rice are produced as major raw material for mochi. The rice is chosen for tensile strength and compressibility. One study found that in Kantomochi rice 172 and BC3, amylopectin distribution varied and affected the hardness of mochi. Kantomochi rice produced harder, brittle, grainy textures, all undesirable qualities except for ease of cutting. For mass production, the rice variety should be chewy, but easy to separate.

Generally, two types of machines are used for mochi production in an assembly line. One machine prepares the dough, while the other forms the dough into consistent shapes, unfilled or with filling. The first type of machine controls the temperature at which the rice gelatinizes. One study found that a temperature of 62 °C corresponds to the gelatinization of mochi. When the temperature fell below 62 °C, the hardening was too slow. It was concluded that a processing temperature below 62 °C was unsuitable for dough preparation.

Processing

Mochi is a variation of a low-calorie, low-fat rice cake. The cake has two essential raw materials, rice and water. Sticky rice (also called sweet rice, Oryza sativa var. glutinosa, glutinous sticky rice, glutinous rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, pearl rice, and pulut), whether brown or white, is best for mochi-making, as long-grain varieties will not expand perfectly. Water is essential in the early stages of preparation. Other additives such as salt and other seasonings and flavourings are important in terms of nutritive value and taste. However, additives can cause breakage of the mass, so should not be added to the rice before the cake is formed. The cake must be steamed (rather than boiled) until it gains a smooth and elastic texture. The balls of rice are then flattened, cut into pieces, or shaped into rounds. The machines for mass production are a hugely expensive investment, and the product should have the proper moisture, to appeal to consumers.

Preservation

The best preservation for mochi is refrigeration for a short storage period. For preserving larger batches over an extended time, freezing is recommended. The best method for freezing involves wrapping each mochi cake tightly in a sealed plastic bag. Although mochi can be kept in a freezer for almost one year, the frozen mochi may lose flavor and softness or get freezer-burned.

Ingredients

Mochi is relatively simple to make, as only a few ingredients are needed for plain, natural mochi. The main ingredient is either Shiratamako or Mochiko, Japanese sweet glutinous rice flours. Both Shiratamako and Mochiko are made from mochigome, a type of Japanese glutinous short-grain rice. The difference between Shiratamako and Mochiko comes from texture and processing methods. Shiratamako flour has been more refined and is a finer flour with a smoother, more elastic feel. Mochiko is less refined and has a doughier texture.

Other ingredients may include water, sugar, and cornstarch (to prevent sticking). Additional other ingredients can be added to create different variations/flavors.

Nutrition

The caloric content of a matchbox-sized piece of mochi is comparable to that of a bowl of rice. Japanese farmers were known to consume it during the winter to increase their stamina, while the Japanese samurai took mochi on their expeditions, as it was easy to carry and prepare. Mochi is gluten- and cholesterol-free, as it is made from rice flour. A single serving of 44.0 g has 96 Calories (kilocalories), 1.0 g of fat, but no trans or saturated fat, 1.0 mg of sodium, 22.0 g of carbohydrates, 0 g of dietary fiber, 6.0 g of sugar, and 1.0 g of protein.

Chemistry and structural composition of glutinous rice

Amylose and amylopectin are both components of starch and polysaccharides made from D-glucose units. The big difference between the two is that amylose is linear because it only has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin, though, is a branched polysaccharide because it has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds with occasional αlpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds around every 22 D-glucose units. Glutinous rice is nearly 100% composed of amylopectin and almost completely lacks its counterpart, amylose, in its starch granules. A nonglutinous rice grain contains amylose at about 10-30% weight by weight and amylopectin at about 70-90% weight by weight.

Glutinous or waxy type of starches occur in maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. An interesting characteristic of glutinous rice is that it stains red when iodine is added, whereas nonglutinous rice stains blue. This phenomenon occurs when iodine is mixed with iodide to form tri-iodide and penta-iodide. Penta-iodide intercalates between the starch molecules and stains amylose and amylopectin blue and red, respectively. The gelation and viscous texture of glutinous rice is due to amylopectin being more hygroscopic than amylose, thus water enters the starch granule, causing it to swell, while the amylose leaves the starch granule and becomes part of a colloidal solution. In other words, the higher the amylopectin content, the higher the swelling of the starch granule.

Though the amylopectin content plays a major role in the defined characteristic of viscosity in glutinous rice, factors such as heat also play a very important role in the swelling, since it enhances the uptake of water into the starch granule significantly. The swelling increases at about 10% in volume per 10 °C temperature increase. The high amylopectin content of waxy or glutinous starches is genetically controlled by the waxy or wax gene. Its quality of greater viscosity and gelation is dependent on the distribution of the amylopectin unit chains. Grains that have this gene are considered mutants, which explains why most of them are selectively bred to create a grain that is close to having or has a 0% amylose content. The table below summarizes the amylose and amylopectin content of different starches, waxy and nonwaxy:

• Table 1. Proportion of Amylose and Amylopectin in various Starch Sources

The soaking of the glutinous rice is an elemental step in the preparation of mochi, either traditionally or industrially. During this process, glutinous rice decreases in protein content as it is soaked in water. The chemicals that make up the flavour of plain or «natural» mochi are ethyl ester acetic acid, ethanol, 2-butanol, 2 methyl 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl 1 butanol, 1-pentanol and propane acid.

Mochi is usually composed solely of glutinous rice, however, some variations may include the additions of salt, spices and flavourings such as cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde). Food additives such as sucrose, sorbitol or glycerol may be added to increase viscosity and therefore increase gelatinization. Additives that slow down retrogradation are not usually added since amylopectin has a very stable shelf life due to its high amylopectin content.

Viscoelasticity

Mochi’s characteristic chewiness is due to the polysaccharides in it. The viscosity and elasticity that account for this chewiness are affected by many factors such as the starch concentration, configuration of the swollen starch granules, the conditions of heating (temperature, heating period and rate of heating) as well as the junction zones that interconnect each polymer chain. The more junction zones the substance has, the stronger the cohesiveness of the gel, thereby forming a more solid-like material. The perfect mochi has the perfect balance between viscosity and elasticity so that it is not inextensible and fragile but rather extensible yet firm.

Many tests have been conducted on the factors that affect the viscoelastic properties of mochi. As puncture tests show, samples with a higher solid (polysaccharide) content show an increased resistance and thereby a stronger and tougher gel. This increased resistance to the puncture test indicate that an increase in solute concentration leads to a more rigid and harder gel with an increased cohesiveness, internal binding, elasticity and springiness which means a decrease in material flow or an increase in viscosity. These results can also be brought about by an increase in heating time.

Sensory assessments of the hardness, stickiness and elasticity of mochi and their relationship with solute concentration and heating time were performed. Similar to the puncture test results, sensory tests determine that hardness and elasticity increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration. However, stickiness of the samples increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration until a certain level, above which the reverse is observed.

These relationships are important because too hard or elastic a mochi is undesirable, as is one that is too sticky and will stick to walls of the container.

Health hazards

Suffocation deaths are caused by mochi every year in Japan, especially among elderly people. According to the Tokyo Fire Department which responds to choking cases, mochi sends more than 100 people to the hospital every year in Tokyo alone. Between 2006 and 2009, 18 people died from choking on mochi in the Japanese capital, according to the city’s fire department. In 2011, Japanese media reported eight mochi-related deaths in Tokyo in January.

Every year, Japanese authorities warn people to cut mochi into small pieces before eating it. The Tokyo Fire Department even has a website offering tips on how to help someone choking on mochi by performing an abdominal thrust.

Popular uses

Though mochi is often consumed alone as a major component of a main meal, it is also used as an ingredient in many other prepared foods.

Confectionery

Many types of traditional wagashi and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste (anko) or white bean paste (shiro an). Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry inside.

Kusa mochi is a green variety of mochi flavored with yomogi (mugwort). When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.

Ice cream

Small balls of ice cream are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream. In Japan, this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte under the name Yukimi Daifuku, «snow-viewing daifuku».

Soup

• Oshiruko or ozenzai is a sweet azuki bean soup with pieces of mochi. In winter, Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves.

• Chikara udon (meaning «power udon») is a dish consisting of udon noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi.
• Zōni. See New Year specialties below.

Other variations

• Dango is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour).
• Warabimochi is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from bracken starch and covered or dipped in kinako (soybean flour) with sugar. It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike ice cream trucks in Western countries.
• Manjū (饅頭,まんじゅう)is not a true mochi, but a popular traditional Japanese confection. Made of flour, rice powder, buckwheat, and red bean paste.
• Yōkan (羊羮) is a thick, jelly-like dessert. It is made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. There are two main types: Neri yōkan and mizu yōkan.
• More recently, «Moffles» (a waffle made from a toasted mochi) has been introduced. It is made in a specialized machine as well as a traditional waffle iron.
• Sakumochi (索餅) is deep fried rice cake twisted into a rope shape. It is often consumed during the Japanese Star Festival called Tanabata. There is some confusion about its origin based on evidence from historical records of a dish called sakubei (索べい), which some scholars believe was a confection while others think it was an early form of the wheat noodle sōmen. (Sakubei was made from a mixture of wheat flour and rice flour).

Variations outside Japan

In Taiwan, a traditional Hakka and Hoklo pounded rice cake was called tauchi (Chinese: 豆糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-chî) and came in various styles and forms just like in Japan. Traditional Hakka tauchi is served as glutinous rice dough, covered with peanut or sesame powder. Not until the Japanese era was Japanese-style mochi introduced and gained popularity. Nowadays, Taiwanese mochi often comes with bean paste fillings.

In China, tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water. Tangyuan is typically filled with black sesame paste or peanut paste and served in the water that it was boiled in.

In Hong Kong and other Cantonese regions, the traditional Lo Mai Chi (Chinese: 糯米糍; Jyutping: no6 mai5 ci4) is made of glutinous rice flour in the shape of a ball, with fillings such as crushed peanuts, coconut, red bean paste, and black sesame paste. It can come in a variety of modern flavors such as green tea, mango, taro, strawberry, and more.

In Philippines, a traditional Filipino sweet snack similar to Japanese mochi is called tikoy (Chinese: 甜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiⁿ-kóe). There is also another delicacy called espasol with a taste similar to Japanese kinako mochi, though made with roasted rice flour (not kinako, roasted soy flour). The Philippines also has several steamed rice snacks with very similar names to mochi, including moche, mache, and masi. These are small steamed rice balls with bean paste or peanut fillings. However they are not derived from the Japanese mochi, but are derivatives of the Chinese jian dui (called buchi in the Philippines). They are also made with the native galapong process, which mixes ground slightly fermented cooked glutinous rice with coconut milk.

In Korea, chapssal-tteok (Hangul: 찹쌀떡) varieties are made of steamed glutinous rice or steamed glutinous rice flour.

In Indonesia, kue moci is usually filled with sweet bean paste and covered with sesame seeds. Kue Moci comes from Sukabumi, West Java.

In Malaysia, kuih kochi is made from glutinous rice flour and filled with coconut filling and palm sugar. Another Chinese Malaysians variant, loh mai chi is made with same ingredients but their fillings are filled with crushed peanuts. There is also kuih tepung gomak, which has similar ingredients and texture to Mochi but larger in size and the snack was quite popular in the east coast of Malaysia.

In Singapore, Muah Chee is made from glutinous rice flour and is usually coated with either crushed peanuts or black sesame seeds.

In Taiwan, a soft version similar to daifuku is called moachi (Chinese: 麻糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: moâ-chî) in Taiwanese Hokkien and mashu (Chinese: 麻糬; pinyin: máshǔ) in Taiwanese Mandarin.

In Hawaii, a dessert variety called «butter mochi» is made with butter, sugar, coconut, and other ingredients then baked to make a sponge cake of sorts.

See also

• Arare
• Hishi mochi
• Hanabiramochi
• Muchi
• Senbei, rice crackers
• Uirō
• Japanese rice

Similar foods in other countries:

• Chapssal-tteok, Korean glutinous rice cakes
• Bánh giầy
• Kochi
• Nian gao
• Sapin sapin
• Tteok

A Mochi (Japanese: 餅, もち) is Japanese rice cake made of mochigome, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While also eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.

Mochi is a multicomponent food consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, protein and water. Mochi has a heterogeneous structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains, and air bubbles. This rice is characterized by its low level of amylose starch, and is derived from short- or medium-grain japonica rices. The protein concentration of the rice is higher than that of normal short-grain rice, and the two also differ in amylose content. In mochi rice, the amylose content is negligible, and the amylopectin level is high, which results in its gel-like consistency.

Mochi is similar to dango, but is made using pounded intact grains of rice, while dango is made of rice flour.

History

The process of steaming glutinous rice and making it into a paste is considered to have its origin in ancient China, but this process is considered to have been introduced to Japan from Southeast Asia some time after rice cultivation was introduced to Japan at the end of the Jomon period. Red rice was the original variation used in the production of mochi.

Since the Japanese have a fondness for the particular stickiness of mochi, they have developed a unique mochi culture while having elements in common with similar foods in other Asian countries. According to archaeological research, it is considered that the opportunity to make mochi increased since the sixth century in the Kofun period, when earthenware steamers became popular in every household mainly in eastern Japan.

In Bungo no kuni fudoki compiled in the late eighth century in the Nara period, a legend concerning mochi was described. According to the book, when a rich man made a flat mochi from the remaining rice and shot an arrow at it, the mochi transformed into a white bird and flew away, and after that, the man’s rice field became desolate and poor. This legend shows that ancient Japanese believed that white round mochi had spiritual power.

In the Heian period, mochi was often used in Shinto events to celebrate childbirth and marriage. According to Ōkagami compiled in the 12th century, emperors and nobilities used to put mochi into the mouths of babies 50 days old. In this period, it became customary in the aristocratic society for the bride and groom to eat mochi together at the bride’s house three days after the wedding.

The first recorded accounts of mochi being used as a part of New Year’s festivities are from the Japanese Heian period. The nobles of the imperial court believed that long strands of freshly made mochi symbolized long life and well-being, while dried mochi helped strengthen one’s teeth. Accounts of it can also be found in the oldest Japanese novel, The Tale of Genji. The custom of kagami mochi (mirror mochi) began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period. Kagami mochi is composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with an orange (daidai). In welcoming the New Year, samurai decorated kagami mochi with Japanese armour and Japanese swords in the tokonoma (alcove in a traditional Japanese room where art or flowers are displayed) to pray for the prosperity of their families in the New Year. When people ate kagami mochi after the New Year period, they avoided cutting it with a hōchō (knife) so as not to violate the kami, and smashed it with a wooden hammer after it naturally dried and cracked.

Even today, mochi continues to be one of the traditional foods eaten around Japanese New Year, as it is sold and consumed in abundance around this time. A kagami mochi , is placed on family altars (kamidana) on December 28 each year.

Seasonal specialities

New Year

• Kagami mochi is a New Year decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called kagami biraki (mirror opening).
• Zōni is a soup containing rice cakes. It is also eaten on New Year’s Day. In addition to mochi, zōni contains vegetables such as taro, carrot, honeywort, and red and white colored kamaboko.
• Kinako mochi is traditionally made on New Year’s Day as an emblem of luck. This style of mochi preparation involves roasting the mochi over a fire or stove, then dipping it into water, finally coating it with sugar and kinako (soy flour).

Spring time

The cherry blossom (sakura), is a symbol of Japan and signifies the onset of full-fledged spring. Sakuramochi is a pink-coloured mochi surrounding sweet anko and wrapped in an edible, salted cherry leaf; this dish is usually made during the spring.

Children’s Day

Children’s Day is celebrated in Japan on May 5. On this day, the Japanese promote the happiness and well-being of children. Kashiwa-mochi and chimaki are made especially for this celebration. Kashiwa-mochi is white mochi surrounding a sweet anko filling with a Kashiwa oak leaf wrapped around it. Chimaki is a variation of a dango wrapped in bamboo leaves.

Girls’ Day

Hishi mochi is a ceremonial dessert presented as a ritual offering on the days leading up to Hinamatsuri or «Girls’ Day» in Japan. Hishi mochi is rhomboid-shaped mochi with layers of red, green, and white. The three layers are coloured with jasmine flowers, water caltrop, and mugwort.

Traditional preparation

Traditionally, mochi was made from whole rice, in a labor-intensive process. The traditional mochi-pounding ceremony in Japan is mochitsuki:

1. Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and steamed.
2. The steamed rice is mashed and pounded with wooden mallets (kine) in a traditional mortar (usu). The work involves two people, one pounding and the other turning and wetting the mochi.  They must keep a steady rhythm or they may accidentally injure each other with the heavy kine.
3. The sticky mass is cut or formed into shapes, for example spheres.

Modern preparation

Mochi is prepared from a flour of sweet rice (mochiko). The flour is mixed with water and cooked on a stovetop or in the microwave until it forms a sticky, opaque, white mass. This process is performed twice, and the mass is stirred in between until it becomes malleable and slightly transparent. With modern equipment, mochi can be made at home, with the technology automating the laborious dough pounding. Household mochi appliances provide a suitable space where the environment of the dough can be controlled.

The assembly-line sections in mochi production control these aspects:

1. Viscoelasticity or the products’ chewiness by selecting specific species of rice
2. Consistency of the dough during automated pounding process
3. Size
4. Flavourings and fillings

Varieties of glutinous and waxy rice are produced as major raw material for mochi. The rice is chosen for tensile strength and compressibility. One study found that in Kantomochi rice 172 and BC3, amylopectin distribution varied and affected the hardness of mochi. Kantomochi rice produced harder, brittle, grainy textures, all undesirable qualities except for ease of cutting. For mass production, the rice variety should be chewy, but easy to separate.

Generally, two types of machines are used for mochi production in an assembly line. One machine prepares the dough, while the other forms the dough into consistent shapes, unfilled or with filling. The first type of machine controls the temperature at which the rice gelatinizes. One study found that a temperature of 62 °C corresponds to the gelatinization of mochi. When the temperature fell below 62 °C, the hardening was too slow. It was concluded that a processing temperature below 62 °C was unsuitable for dough preparation.

Processing

Mochi is a variation of a low-calorie, low-fat rice cake. The cake has two essential raw materials, rice and water. Sticky rice (also called sweet rice, Oryza sativa var. glutinosa, glutinous sticky rice, glutinous rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, pearl rice, and pulut), whether brown or white, is best for mochi-making, as long-grain varieties will not expand perfectly. Water is essential in the early stages of preparation. Other additives such as salt and other seasonings and flavourings are important in terms of nutritive value and taste. However, additives can cause breakage of the mass, so should not be added to the rice before the cake is formed. The cake must be steamed (rather than boiled) until it gains a smooth and elastic texture. The balls of rice are then flattened, cut into pieces, or shaped into rounds. The machines for mass production are a hugely expensive investment, and the product should have the proper moisture, to appeal to consumers.

Preservation

The best preservation for mochi is refrigeration for a short storage period. For preserving larger batches over an extended time, freezing is recommended. The best method for freezing involves wrapping each mochi cake tightly in a sealed plastic bag. Although mochi can be kept in a freezer for almost one year, the frozen mochi may lose flavor and softness or get freezer-burned.

Ingredients

Mochi is relatively simple to make, as only a few ingredients are needed for plain, natural mochi. The main ingredient is either Shiratamako or Mochiko, Japanese sweet glutinous rice flours. Both Shiratamako and Mochiko are made from mochigome, a type of Japanese glutinous short-grain rice. The difference between Shiratamako and Mochiko comes from texture and processing methods. Shiratamako flour has been more refined and is a finer flour with a smoother, more elastic feel. Mochiko is less refined and has a doughier texture.

Other ingredients may include water, sugar, and cornstarch (to prevent sticking). Additional other ingredients can be added to create different variations/flavors.

Nutrition

The caloric content of a matchbox-sized piece of mochi is comparable to that of a bowl of rice. Japanese farmers were known to consume it during the winter to increase their stamina, while the Japanese samurai took mochi on their expeditions, as it was easy to carry and prepare. Mochi is gluten- and cholesterol-free, as it is made from rice flour. A single serving of 44.0 g has 96 Calories (kilocalories), 1.0 g of fat, but no trans or saturated fat, 1.0 mg of sodium, 22.0 g of carbohydrates, 0 g of dietary fiber, 6.0 g of sugar, and 1.0 g of protein.

Chemistry and structural composition of glutinous rice

Amylose and amylopectin are both components of starch and polysaccharides made from D-glucose units. The big difference between the two is that amylose is linear because it only has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Amylopectin, though, is a branched polysaccharide because it has αlpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds with occasional αlpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds around every 22 D-glucose units. Glutinous rice is nearly 100% composed of amylopectin and almost completely lacks its counterpart, amylose, in its starch granules. A nonglutinous rice grain contains amylose at about 10-30% weight by weight and amylopectin at about 70-90% weight by weight.

Glutinous or waxy type of starches occur in maize, sorghum, wheat, and rice. An interesting characteristic of glutinous rice is that it stains red when iodine is added, whereas nonglutinous rice stains blue. This phenomenon occurs when iodine is mixed with iodide to form tri-iodide and penta-iodide. Penta-iodide intercalates between the starch molecules and stains amylose and amylopectin blue and red, respectively. The gelation and viscous texture of glutinous rice is due to amylopectin being more hygroscopic than amylose, thus water enters the starch granule, causing it to swell, while the amylose leaves the starch granule and becomes part of a colloidal solution. In other words, the higher the amylopectin content, the higher the swelling of the starch granule.

Though the amylopectin content plays a major role in the defined characteristic of viscosity in glutinous rice, factors such as heat also play a very important role in the swelling, since it enhances the uptake of water into the starch granule significantly. The swelling increases at about 10% in volume per 10 °C temperature increase. The high amylopectin content of waxy or glutinous starches is genetically controlled by the waxy or wax gene. Its quality of greater viscosity and gelation is dependent on the distribution of the amylopectin unit chains. Grains that have this gene are considered mutants, which explains why most of them are selectively bred to create a grain that is close to having or has a 0% amylose content. The table below summarizes the amylose and amylopectin content of different starches, waxy and nonwaxy:

• Table 1. Proportion of Amylose and Amylopectin in various Starch Sources

The soaking of the glutinous rice is an elemental step in the preparation of mochi, either traditionally or industrially. During this process, glutinous rice decreases in protein content as it is soaked in water. The chemicals that make up the flavour of plain or «natural» mochi are ethyl ester acetic acid, ethanol, 2-butanol, 2 methyl 1-propanol, 1-butanol, 3-methyl 1 butanol, 1-pentanol and propane acid.

Mochi is usually composed solely of glutinous rice, however, some variations may include the additions of salt, spices and flavourings such as cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde). Food additives such as sucrose, sorbitol or glycerol may be added to increase viscosity and therefore increase gelatinization. Additives that slow down retrogradation are not usually added since amylopectin has a very stable shelf life due to its high amylopectin content.

Viscoelasticity

Mochi’s characteristic chewiness is due to the polysaccharides in it. The viscosity and elasticity that account for this chewiness are affected by many factors such as the starch concentration, configuration of the swollen starch granules, the conditions of heating (temperature, heating period and rate of heating) as well as the junction zones that interconnect each polymer chain. The more junction zones the substance has, the stronger the cohesiveness of the gel, thereby forming a more solid-like material. The perfect mochi has the perfect balance between viscosity and elasticity so that it is not inextensible and fragile but rather extensible yet firm.

Many tests have been conducted on the factors that affect the viscoelastic properties of mochi. As puncture tests show, samples with a higher solid (polysaccharide) content show an increased resistance and thereby a stronger and tougher gel. This increased resistance to the puncture test indicate that an increase in solute concentration leads to a more rigid and harder gel with an increased cohesiveness, internal binding, elasticity and springiness which means a decrease in material flow or an increase in viscosity. These results can also be brought about by an increase in heating time.

Sensory assessments of the hardness, stickiness and elasticity of mochi and their relationship with solute concentration and heating time were performed. Similar to the puncture test results, sensory tests determine that hardness and elasticity increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration. However, stickiness of the samples increase with increasing time of heating and solid concentration until a certain level, above which the reverse is observed.

These relationships are important because too hard or elastic a mochi is undesirable, as is one that is too sticky and will stick to walls of the container.

Health hazards

Suffocation deaths are caused by mochi every year in Japan, especially among elderly people. According to the Tokyo Fire Department which responds to choking cases, mochi sends more than 100 people to the hospital every year in Tokyo alone. Between 2006 and 2009, 18 people died from choking on mochi in the Japanese capital, according to the city’s fire department. In 2011, Japanese media reported eight mochi-related deaths in Tokyo in January.

Every year, Japanese authorities warn people to cut mochi into small pieces before eating it. The Tokyo Fire Department even has a website offering tips on how to help someone choking on mochi by performing an abdominal thrust.

Popular uses

Though mochi is often consumed alone as a major component of a main meal, it is also used as an ingredient in many other prepared foods.

Confectionery

Many types of traditional wagashi and mochigashi (Japanese traditional sweets) are made with mochi. For example, daifuku is a soft round mochi stuffed with sweet filling, such as sweetened red bean paste (anko) or white bean paste (shiro an). Ichigo daifuku is a version containing a whole strawberry inside.

Kusa mochi is a green variety of mochi flavored with yomogi (mugwort). When daifuku is made with kusa mochi, it is called yomogi daifuku.

Ice cream

Small balls of ice cream are wrapped inside a mochi covering to make mochi ice cream. In Japan, this is manufactured by the conglomerate Lotte under the name Yukimi Daifuku, «snow-viewing daifuku».

Soup

• Oshiruko or ozenzai is a sweet azuki bean soup with pieces of mochi. In winter, Japanese people often eat it to warm themselves.

• Chikara udon (meaning «power udon») is a dish consisting of udon noodles in soup topped with toasted mochi.
• Zōni. See New Year specialties below.

Other variations

• Dango is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour).
• Warabimochi is not true mochi, but a jelly-like confection made from bracken starch and covered or dipped in kinako (soybean flour) with sugar. It is popular in the summertime, and often sold from trucks, not unlike ice cream trucks in Western countries.
• Manjū (饅頭,まんじゅう)is not a true mochi, but a popular traditional Japanese confection. Made of flour, rice powder, buckwheat, and red bean paste.
• Yōkan (羊羮) is a thick, jelly-like dessert. It is made of red bean paste, agar, and sugar. There are two main types: Neri yōkan and mizu yōkan.
• More recently, «Moffles» (a waffle made from a toasted mochi) has been introduced. It is made in a specialized machine as well as a traditional waffle iron.
• Sakumochi (索餅) is deep fried rice cake twisted into a rope shape. It is often consumed during the Japanese Star Festival called Tanabata. There is some confusion about its origin based on evidence from historical records of a dish called sakubei (索べい), which some scholars believe was a confection while others think it was an early form of the wheat noodle sōmen. (Sakubei was made from a mixture of wheat flour and rice flour).

Variations outside Japan

In Taiwan, a traditional Hakka and Hoklo pounded rice cake was called tauchi (Chinese: 豆糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tāu-chî) and came in various styles and forms just like in Japan. Traditional Hakka tauchi is served as glutinous rice dough, covered with peanut or sesame powder. Not until the Japanese era was Japanese-style mochi introduced and gained popularity. Nowadays, Taiwanese mochi often comes with bean paste fillings.

In China, tangyuan is made from glutinous rice flour mixed with a small amount of water to form balls and is then cooked and served in boiling water. Tangyuan is typically filled with black sesame paste or peanut paste and served in the water that it was boiled in.

In Hong Kong and other Cantonese regions, the traditional Lo Mai Chi (Chinese: 糯米糍; Jyutping: no6 mai5 ci4) is made of glutinous rice flour in the shape of a ball, with fillings such as crushed peanuts, coconut, red bean paste, and black sesame paste. It can come in a variety of modern flavors such as green tea, mango, taro, strawberry, and more.

In Philippines, a traditional Filipino sweet snack similar to Japanese mochi is called tikoy (Chinese: 甜粿; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tiⁿ-kóe). There is also another delicacy called espasol with a taste similar to Japanese kinako mochi, though made with roasted rice flour (not kinako, roasted soy flour). The Philippines also has several steamed rice snacks with very similar names to mochi, including moche, mache, and masi. These are small steamed rice balls with bean paste or peanut fillings. However they are not derived from the Japanese mochi, but are derivatives of the Chinese jian dui (called buchi in the Philippines). They are also made with the native galapong process, which mixes ground slightly fermented cooked glutinous rice with coconut milk.

In Korea, chapssal-tteok (Hangul: 찹쌀떡) varieties are made of steamed glutinous rice or steamed glutinous rice flour.

In Indonesia, kue moci is usually filled with sweet bean paste and covered with sesame seeds. Kue Moci comes from Sukabumi, West Java.

In Malaysia, kuih kochi is made from glutinous rice flour and filled with coconut filling and palm sugar. Another Chinese Malaysians variant, loh mai chi is made with same ingredients but their fillings are filled with crushed peanuts. There is also kuih tepung gomak, which has similar ingredients and texture to Mochi but larger in size and the snack was quite popular in the east coast of Malaysia.

In Singapore, Muah Chee is made from glutinous rice flour and is usually coated with either crushed peanuts or black sesame seeds.

In Taiwan, a soft version similar to daifuku is called moachi (Chinese: 麻糍; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: moâ-chî) in Taiwanese Hokkien and mashu (Chinese: 麻糬; pinyin: máshǔ) in Taiwanese Mandarin.

In Hawaii, a dessert variety called «butter mochi» is made with butter, sugar, coconut, and other ingredients then baked to make a sponge cake of sorts.

See also

• Arare
• Hishi mochi
• Hanabiramochi
• Muchi
• Senbei, rice crackers
• Uirō
• Japanese rice

Similar foods in other countries:

• Chapssal-tteok, Korean glutinous rice cakes
• Bánh giầy
• Kochi
• Nian gao
• Sapin sapin
• Tteok