The Different Varieties of Mochi

When many people conjure an image of mochi, one of the first things that comes to mind might be mochi ice cream. Indeed, for many people from the west, mochi wrapped around ice cream is synonymous with mochi.

However, mochi come in a variety of shapes and flavors with a wide range of fillings. At its core, mochi is a combination of steamed and pounded mochigome (short-grain japonica glutinous rice) and water. Different ingredients and fillings can be added to change the texture and taste.

Dango

A popular form of mochi are dango. These are small, pounded rice balls, generally served on a skewer, and covered in a variety of syrups. You can also find these in different colors, such as the pink, white and green hanami dango (try our Sanshoku/Hanami Dango recipe).

Daifuku

Another common mochi is daifuku which consists of mochi wrapped around a filling. Popular fillings include adzuki (sweet red bean paste) or a whole strawberry (known as ichigo daifuku).

Oshiruko

Another delicious preparation for mochi is in a sweet dessert soup called zenzai, or oshiruko, which is made of stewed sweetened azuki beans served with small dumplings of mochi. This can be found served during the cold winter months and is popular at winter festivals in Japan.

Ozoni

Another mochi preparation is the special New Year's soup called ozoni. This simple but tasty soup is made using a variety of ingredients such as mochi, vegetables, and meat. Different regions customize their ozoni using local products and different soup bases such as dashi and miso. The mochi in particular is added to bring good luck.

About the author: 

Michael Bugajski

Michael is originally from Chicago, IL in the United States, but has lived in Japan for seven years in Niigata and Hokkaido. He is an avid home chef, baker, and coffee enthusiast, but his one true love is ramen.  Ever in pursuit of the perfect bowl of noodles, you can always find him by listening for the tell-tale slurp of ramen being enjoyed!