Boiled Mochi

Ingredient	1 Batch	1 Batch
mochiko	½ cup	80g
water	as needed	as needed

Mochi, a soft, chewy dough made from a type of rice flour, is the central component of many Japanese confections. It can be made on the stovetop or with a microwave; this recipe covers the former technique.

Directions

Mix water and mochiko.
Put a small pan of water on to boil. While it’s heating, measure the mochiko into a small bowl and begin adding water, a little at a time, thoroughly mixing with your hand each time. Continue adding water until the consistency of the dough is about the same firmness as your earlobe (it sounds weird, but it’s a good gauge).
Form balls.
Divide the dough into pieces of the size you need. Form each piece into a flattened ball and press the middle down with your thumb to make a disk with a deep dent in the middle.
Boil.
Gently add the disks of dough to the boiling water. Once they float to the top, let them cook for an additional minute or so, then remove from the water and put on a plate for use as recipe requires.

Notes

Mochi is properly made from mochi rice that has been pounded into a soft dough. This much easier version uses mochiko, which literally means “mochi flour.” Mochiko is made from a the same variety of rice; it is also known as sweet rice flour or glutenous rice flour, to distinguish it from komeko, which is made from standard rice. In most parts of the US mochiko is available at any supermarket that has even a small Asian food section.
Adding more water will result in softer mochi, and less water will be firmer, so it’s easy to adjust to your taste once you get a feel for it.