What is the famous Japanese dessert Mochi and is it possible to cook it yourself?
Japanese cuisine is full of unusual, bright dishes, which have no analogues in any corner of the world. There are also exclusive desserts in the Land of the Rising Sun, for example, Mochi, which the Japanese are rightfully proud of. What is this outlandish dish, what is it famous for and is it possible to cook it yourself?
Japanese desserts differ significantly from European, Oriental and even most Asian ones. Some of them are prepared by baking, but they are not as dangerous for the waistline as flour desserts from other countries of the world. Mochi, on the contrary, is not only not harmful to health, but can also be considered a sweetness useful for a person.
Mochi can be briefly described as a cake based on rice dough prepared in a special way. The first mention of the Mochi dessert dates back to the 8th century AD. This dish got its name in honor of its main component - mochi dough, prepared from steamed mochi-mai rice. This rice is sticky and has a sweet taste, so only it is suitable for mochi cake.
The process of making rice dough itself is quite laborious and requires strength, endurance and caution. First, steamed rice is pounded with wooden mallets "kine" in a mortar called "usu". Regardless of the volume of the test, two people should be involved in this case. One pours rice, and the second monitors the degree of its readiness, mixes the mochi and, if necessary, pours water into the mortar.
Both cooks must work together and not be distracted, otherwise a heavy beater can injure the assistant's hands. The rice is pounded for at least 40 minutes and the mochi dough can be considered ready when it becomes soft, viscous and elastic. The finished dough can be used for various purposes. It is rolled out, cut and dried, or small cakes are made from it.
In modern Japanese cuisine, mochi is most often used as a raw material for the preparation of a whole group of desserts, known collectively as "mOchi". There are a lot of recipes for these sweets — these are soft steamed buns with a variety of sweet fillings, frozen, glazed and even fried mochi.
Children most of all love mochi ice cream in the form of small balls wrapped in dough and daifuku mochi cakes, which are prepared with many different fillings. Mochi desserts are not only delicious, but also healthy. Scientists have proven that there is surprisingly little sugar in this dessert. At the same time, its main component is rice, which retains its basic nutritional properties.
Everyone who watches his figure and tries to eat right knows about the benefits of rice flour. It does not contain gluten, which means it is less dangerous for the figure than wheat. Mochi is also recommended for people with anemia, diabetes mellitus, digestive disorders and even those with weakened immunity.
Unfortunately, it will not be easy to prepare mochi rice desserts at home. And it is even more difficult to find a special kind of rice suitable for this purpose. Therefore, it is better to enjoy this dish in a Japanese restaurant. And ideally, you should try it in the Land of the Rising Sun itself.