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What is Mochi?
Mochi is a type of Japanese rice cake. It’s a chewy, delicious treat that comes in a variety of forms. Mochi is traditionally made by soaking, steaming, then pounding rice into a paste with a large mallet, then shaping the result into the desired form. It can also be made using sweet, glutinous rice flour, which gives mochi its distinct texture.
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What are some of the different types of mochi?
There are tons of flavors that mochi comes in, from strawberry to matcha and chocolate. They can also be made with fillings. Not only that, but these fillings vary widely, including anko, which is a sweetened red bean paste and fruit. Mochi with these sweet fillings are sometimes called daifuku. There is also Kiri Mochi, which is dried and cut into rectangles, which allows it to stay good for a much longer time. Sometimes you can even find mochi filled with ice cream, or mochi that’s meant to be eaten with seaweed!
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Beyond just varying in flavorings, mochi can also come in different shapes and designs, as displayed in pop culture. Some might recognize a few of the different forms mochi can come in from anime. In Jujutsu Kaisen, for example, a character eats Kikufuku mochi, a regional product with contrasting colors of mochi and filling. In Fruits Basket, a character has many mochi that have been decorated to look like different animals.
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Where Can You Find Places to Eat Mochi in the United States?
There is a wide variety of places you can buy mochi from without having to leave the United States. While your best bet would be visiting stores that cater to Asian cuisine, such as Ranch 99, recently they have become more popular, so you can find them in even American chain grocery stores. Even places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods have been trying out their versions of the treat. Mochi with an ice cream filling is particularly common in these types of stores, especially in a green tea or matcha flavor.
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These are just a two of the many mochi I was able to find at my local Ranch 99, a supermarket chain that sells a variety of Asian foods:
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There are also some more specialized places to try the chewy treat! In fact, mochi is a common find in Hawaii. The practice of making and eating mochi there originated from immigrants but has since become a more local staple. Butter Mochi is especially popular, a baked good that is somewhere between Japanese Mochi and cake. Although butter mochi often requires condensed and coconut milk, it still uses the same rice flour that traditional Japanese Mochi is made from, which means it is also still gluten free.
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For those searching for mochi in California, you can head to Los Angeles to find Fugetsu-Do Confectionery, a family-owned store in Little Tokyo that has been selling mochi since 1903. Although the store itself is not that large, it sells a wide variety of mochi, including everything from fruit to peanut butter mochi. Fugetsu-Do also ships mochi, but some types, such as fresh strawberry, are only available in store or during certain seasons.
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Writer: Nina Moothedath
(3/24/2022)
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