Mochi are Japanese rice cakes, similar to the Korean tteok. Daifuku is the most popular variety: an oblong disk of rice dough with some sweet filling, usually red bean paste. They can be a bit on the chewy side, but overall they're really tasty--great little snacks, and also great little deserts.
This past week, our school hosted a Japan Day, and one of the events was a big outdoor mochi party. We got to see mochi making firsthand, then to eat a bunch of fresh mochi topped with red bean paste and a delicious brown powder made of dried, crushed soybeans and sugar.
It turns out that the majority of the mochi making process involves whacking a pile of warm, sticky rice dough with a mallet. Fun for the whole family!
Obviously, my technique is lacking. After studying some game film, it turns out the pros use their hips and their bottom arm to lift the mallet straight up, then let gravity do most of the work. This is undoubtedly better than my "Heck, I don't really need that arm this week, do I?" approach, which left me sore after only a few minutes of work. Don't worry, coach, I'll do better next time!
(Full disclosure: Nana and I actually learned a bit about making tteok in Korea, and the process is pretty similar to making mochi. I guess there aren't a lot of different ways to hit rice goop with a hammer.)
The rest of Japan Day was a lot of fun, too--I made a little origami blow-up ball, and got to watch some really cool Japanese performances. The highlight was probably the taiko show: the only thing better than a drum so big and deep it can make your chest shake is ten drums so big they can make your chest shake.
Justin, doesn't your rune factory girlfriend love rice balls? You'd better get that technique down!
ReplyDeleteJackie