Mochi Recipe with Mochiko Flour (2024)

I have made this Mochi Recipe with Mochiko Flour all my life. I’ve always made it with my mom, and now that she has passed away, my brother and I decided to make it together. It is a simple recipe, and now with the Instant Pot, the red beans are super easy to make.

Most of you probably are familiar with Mochi Ice Cream that they sell in the grocery stores. Well, this has a similar dough, but the inside is not ice cream but a sweet red bean paste called Anko.

Mochi Recipe Notes

I’m sure some of you are wondering quizzically

What is Mochi?

It is pronounced moh-chee.

Here is a definition of mochi according to Wikipedia,

Mochi is Japanese rice cakemade ofmochigome, a short-grain japonicaglutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, andcornstarch. The rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony calledmochitsuki.While also eaten year-round,mochiis atraditional foodfor theJapanese New Yearand is commonly sold and eaten during that time.

My first memory of making mochi was when I was a girl growing up in Southern California. One day, I joined my cousin and all her relatives for a mochi making get together at her grandma’s home. Her grandma had a new-fangled machine that pounded the rice, and out came a hot gooey sticky rice dough. The more authentic way to pound mochi is with a wooden bowl and wooden mallets. We saw this at the Mochi Festive on Bainbridge Island in Washington. Here is a link to a great video that shows how to make mochi. I had to smile when I watched this fun and entertaining video.

For this recipe, it uses sweet rice flour, so don’t worry, you don’t have to pound it as they showed in the video. Also, that mochi will get hard after a couple of minutes. This mochi recipe is the soft mochi, and it stays fresh for a couple of days.

Where Did Mochi Originate?

The pounding of rice originated in China. Mochi started in the Japanese Heian period, 794–1192.

Is Mochi Eaten Cold or Hot?

This mochi recipe is served at room temperature.

Is Mochi Dangerous to Eat?

When I was a little girl, I would try and swallow a big bite of sticky mochi, and of course, I choked. So, make sure to take small bites since it can be a little bit sticky going down your throat. I guess every year, Japan has emergency cases of choking on mochi.

Why is Mochi So Popular in Japan?

It is popular at New Year’s because it represents good fortune. Also, if you stack a bunch of mochis in your home, it will bring good luck.

Mochi also represents good health. So for the big New Year’s Day feast, it is usually served in a savory dish, which is similar to soup, called Ozoni. You are supposed to eat it so that you have a healthy and great year.

How Do You Store Mochi?

I found I can leave it out in a Tupperware container for about two days, but then it needs to be wrapped in plastic and placed in the refrigerator. It is a dessert that you’ll want to eat in the first couple of days. So, the fresher mochi, the better it tastes. After a couple of days in the refrigerator, the mochi will get hard. So, my brothers will pop them in the microwave for a couple of seconds to soften the mochi.

Some Important Notes About Making Mochi

Powdered Sugar

I noticed on a few websites people used powdered sugar instead of cornstarch to keep their mochi from sticking. Well, the thing about any sugars, are they break down and melt. So if you add it to your mochi, you now are left with wet mochi! So, please use cornstarch, mochiko, or even potato flour to keep your mochi from sticking.

Allow Enough Time

This is a pretty labor-intensive recipe. So, make sure you allow enough time for mochi making. It might be best to make the azuki bean middle the day before and have them ready for the mochi.

Microwaving the Mochi

Now that I’m making my mochi in the microwave, it is a ton easier to handle and form the balls. But, make sure to watch the dough while cooking since each microwave settings can vary.

Sugar Amount

You might think there is a lot of sugar in the mochi. But, I believe you need it to form the dough. We have always made it where the sugar is almost equal to the amount of sweet rice flour.

And finally, also, note you’ll have more azuki beans balls since the amount of mochi dough only makes 15. Sorry, I can’t tweak the recipe.

Here are all the ingredients you need for this mochi recipe. Well, this photo is missing the food coloring, but it gives you an idea of the ingredients you’ll need.

Ok, let’s take a look at how to make the Azuki beans and mochi.

Here are the cooked beans. Drain and place back into the Instant Pot with sugar and cook until it is dissolved.

Place bean mixture in the fridge or let sit out on the counter until it thickens.

Shape beans into balls and place on parchment paper. Ok, I recently changed how to make the mochi so, you’ll have a few extra beans leftover. You can place them in a plastic freezer bag and freeze them for later.

Photo: Mark Yamamoto

Mixing with your hands is the best way to get a smooth dough without any lumps.

Most mochi recipes use red food coloring, but we decided to make a few new colors.

Placing the red food coloring in a small bowl and just adding a little at a time prevents a dark red mochi dough. So, now that I make my mochi in the microwave, I will add more photos. So stay tuned.

So with your portion of freshly cooked mochi, pat it down like a flat pancake. Make sure not to make the dough too thin or else the red bean paste (center) will poke through. Pull the edges up and over the Anko and pinch the ends all in the center. Once it is sealed together by pinching at the center, roll the mochi in your hands to form a ball. Place it on a plate dusted with mochiko flour. Keep making the mochi until all the dough and centers are used.

If you like Japanese Cuisine, check out my other recipes:

• The Best Chicken Udon
• Asian Salad Dressing
• Sweet Pickled Diakon

I didn’t want to title this, Easy Mochi Recipe, because it is a kind of labor-intensive dessert. To spread the labor, I make the beans the day before, and then the next day I will complete the job. I’m always breaking up projects into much easier steps. If you don’t have the time to make mochi and you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, make a trip to the Shuei-Doh Manju Shop in San Jose. Oh my, they carry so many flavors. They even make a peanut butter mochi!

Happy Baking, my friends!