Mochi
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of, a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally made in a ceremony called. 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 made up of polysaccharides, lipids, protein, and water. Mochi has a varied structure of amylopectin gel, starch grains, and air bubbles. In terms of starch content, the rice used for mochi is very low in amylose and has a high amylopectin level, producing a gel-like consistency. The protein content of the japonica rice used to make mochi is higher than that of standard short-grain rice.
Mochi is similar to, which is made with rice flour instead of pounded rice grains.
History
was the original variant used in the production of mochi.The cultural significance of mochi in Japan is unique, though it has elements in common with other auspicious foods in other Asian countries. According to archaeological research, the homemade production of mochi increased beginning in the 6th century, when earthenware steamers became popular in every household, mainly in eastern Japan.
In the, 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.
In the Heian period, mochi was often used in Shinto events to celebrate childbirth and marriage. According to the compiled in the 12th century, emperors and nobilities used to put mochi into the mouths of babies that were 50 days old. In this period, it became customary in 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 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.
The custom of began among the samurai class during the Muromachi period. are composed of two spheres of mochi stacked on top of one another, topped with a bitter orange. In welcoming the New Year, samurai decorated with Japanese armor and Japanese swords and would place them in the to pray for the prosperity of their families in the New Year. When people ate after the New Year period, they avoided cutting it with a so as not to violate the, and smashed it with a wooden hammer after it naturally dried and cracked.
To this point, most mochi was made without sweetner. This began to change in the 17th century as Western confections were introduced by the Portuguese, and over the following two centuries sweetened confections were adopted into the diets of Japan's social elite, who held high sugar content up as a status symbol. To accommodate the increased demand, domestic sugar production was increased beginning in the mid-18th century, and a century later the now more accessible sweetened mochi became popular among the general public. For those who could afford it, such mochi was made from white sugar; for the rest, brown sugar was used.
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 is placed on family altars on December 28 each year.
Seasonal specialties
New Year
- is a New Year's decoration, which is traditionally broken and eaten in a ritual called and placed on family altars on December 28.
- is a soup containing rice cakes. It is also eaten on New Year's Day. In addition to mochi, contains vegetables such as taro, carrot, honeywort, and red and white colored.
- 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 .
Spring
Children's Day
is celebrated in Japan on May 5. On this day, the Japanese promote the happiness and well-being of children. and are made especially for this celebration. is white mochi surrounding a sweet red bean paste filling with a oak leaf wrapped around it.is a variation of a wrapped in bamboo leaves.
Girls' Day
is a ceremonial dessert presented as a ritual offering on the days leading up to, or "Girls' Day" in Japan, on March 3 every year. is rhomboid-shaped mochi with layers of red, green, and white. The three layers are colored with jasmine flowers, water caltrop, and mugwort.Traditional preparation
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, urban temples, shrines, and community spaces, especially in the days leading up to the new year. The traditional process of mochi-pounding involves whole rice as the only ingredient and takes place in three basic steps:- Polished glutinous rice is soaked overnight and steamed.
- The steamed rice is mashed and pounded with wooden mallets in a traditional mortar. 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.
- The sticky mass is cut or formed into shapes, for example spheres.
Modern preparation
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:
- Viscoelasticity or the products' chewiness by selecting specific species of rice
- Consistency of the dough during automated pounding process
- Size
- Flavourings and fillings
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 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 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, whether brown or white, is best for mochi-making, as long-grain varieties will not expand correctly. Water is essential in the early stages of preparation. Other additives such as salt and other seasonings and flavorings are important for nutritive value and taste. However, additives can cause breakage of the mass, so they should not be added to the rice before the cake is formed. The balls of rice are then flattened and 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
While mochi can be refrigerated for a short storage period, it can also "become hard and not usable." 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. Food additives, such as modified tapioca starch, can also extend the shelf life of mochi.Ingredients
Mochi is relatively simple to make, as only a few ingredients are needed for plain mochi. The main ingredient is either or, Japanese sweet glutinous rice flour. Both and are made from, a type of glutinous short-grain rice. The difference between and comes from texture and processing methods. flour has been more refined and is a finer flour with a smoother, more elastic feel. is less refined and has a doughier texture.Other ingredients may include water, sugar, and cornstarch. Additional other ingredients can be added to create different variations/flavors.
Nutrition
Mochi is gluten- and cholesterol-free, as it is made from rice flour.A single serving of has 96 calories, of fat, but no trans or saturated fat, of sodium, of carbohydrates, no dietary fiber, of sugar, and of protein.