Making Homemade Sweet Mochi!

Below is the recipe for homemade sweet mochi! This is a great and delicious recipe to try out!

Due to the pandemic, many of us are spending more hours at home than we used to. One of the best ways to spend time building your relationships with your family is by cooking something delicious together! Not only will you have fun in the process, but you'll also have a delicious treat to enjoy in the end!

Ingredients:

• Glutinous Rice flour/Sweet Rice flour - 1 cup
• Water - 3/4 cup
• Sugar - 3 tablespoons (optional, can exclude to be more healthy)
• Cornstarch - amount varies (you can also use some other edible powder, like powdered sugar)
• Filling for mochi - red bean paste, bananas, ice cream, etc. (optional, but mochi tastes best with filling!)
• Oil - 1/2 tbsp (optional, but this will save you a lot of dishwashing time!)

Supplies Needed:

• 2 bowls (at least one needs to be microwave safe)
• Microwave
• Plastic Wrap
• Spoon/Mixer
• Measuring cup and spoons
• Spoon/Chopsticks (fingers can work, too, if you don't mind getting your fingers sticky!)

Note: You can double or triple or quadruple the recipe to make larger amounts of mochi! Each cup of glutinous rice flour makes about 12 pieces of mochi.

Instructions:

1. Measure glutinous rice flour and place in a bowl. If adding sugar to mochi, measure sugar and whisk dry ingredients together.
2. While mixing with a spoon/mixer, add water slowly into the bowl. Continue to mix until all clumps disappear. Mixture should be a thick paste, enough to coat the back of a spoon. Adjust water/flour accordingly if needed.
3. Pour oil into the center of a separate microwave safe bowl. This is optional, but it will be much easier to wash your dishes afterwards if you use oil!
4. Pour mixture slowly into the center of the microwave safe bowl, on top of the oil. It is important to pour slowly. 
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, leaving a small hole for ventilation (do not seal completely).
6. Microwave on High for about 3 minutes, and then let cool for about 2 minutes.
7. On a clean, dry surface, sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of cornstarch/powder. 
8. Using chopstick (or a spoon, but chopsticks work better) coated with oil (or fingers coated with cornstarch/powder), form mochi dough into balls. Coat mochi with cornstarch/powder to prevent sticking.
9. If adding filling: flatten mochi dough, place filling in the center. Fold the edges of the mochi dough over the filling and roll into a ball. If you've wrapped dumplings or buns before, wrapping mochi is very similar.
10. Roll mochi ball in cornstarch a second time and place on a plate!

Mochi is ready to serve (and eat)! Enjoy!