Mochi /もち
The Versatile Dessert
What is もち
Mochi (餅, もち) is a 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 (餅搗き). While
eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year, and is commonly sold and eaten
during that time.
History もち
The process of steaming glutinous rice and making it into a paste is considered to have its origin in
ancient China, 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). Red rice was the original
variant used in the production of mochi....