All About The Japanese New Year Staple: Mochi

Mochi comes in so many flavors in colors, but do you know their significance and history? Mochi has picked up traction recently but it has been a delicacy for years. Keep reading to learn about the history and science of Mochi.

History of Mochi

The history of Mochi has dated Bach to the Kofun Period in Mochi which is around 250 AD – 538 AD. However, the details are not clear but it is known that mochi is a staple in Japanese New Year. Mochi is believed to be a symbol of good luck and strength for the future. Mochi is also a way for Shinto followers to share as offerings during rituals.

Mochi is a classic Asian food made by pounding cooked rice into a paste. The origins of this food date back to pre-recorded history making it difficult to actually learn how this food came to be. However, the importance of this food cannot be understated.

Science of Mochi

The three ingredients o fmochi are Mochigome Rice, water, and air. Mochigome is a short and glutinous grain that is made for the gooey texture of mochi. Mochi has high contents of Amylopectin, which is a type of starch that is highly soluble and sticky. Amylopectin causes the mochi to be gooey and gelatinous when steamed.

The method of making Mochi is very important. The mochigome rice is first soaked and steamed in water. Once the rice is cooked, it is placed in a mortar called the usu. The rice is then kneaded with wooden mallets with a consistent rhythm. To learn more about the method, I have attached a helpful video.

cites:

Ishige, Naomichi. History and culture of Japanese food. Kegan Paul, 2001.

Baba, Akira, et al. "Small bowel obstruction due to rice cake (mochi)." Internal Medicine 55.14 (2016): 1933-1934.

Chuang, George Chao-Chi, and An-I. Yeh. "Rheological characteristics and texture attributes of glutinous rice cakes (mochi)." Journal of Food Engineering 74.3 (2006): 314-323.