Mochi (もち, 餅) [motɕi] is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), 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 mochitsuki (餅搗き).[1] 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.[2] 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.[3] The protein content of the japonica rice used to make mochi is higher than that of standard short-grain rice.
Mochi is similar to dango, which is made with rice flour instead of pounded rice grains.[4]
- ^ "Mochitsuki: A New Year's Tradition". Japanese American National Museum. December 5, 2013. Archived from the original on September 30, 2020.
- ^ Isono, Yoshinobu; Emiko Okamura; Teruo Fujimoto (1990). "Linear Viscoelastic Properties and Tissue Structures of Mochi Cake". Agric. Biol. Chem. 54 (11): 2941–2947. doi:10.1271/bbb1961.54.2941.
- ^ Bean, M.M; Esser, C.A.; Nishita, K.D. (1984). "Some Physiochemical and Food Application Characteristics of California Waxy Rice Varieties". Cereal Chemists. 61 (6): 475–479.
- ^ The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. April 2015. ISBN 9780199313624.