Mochi Maker
Mame (Soy) Mochi 豆餅
- Dessert
Sometimes a snack just hits all the right notes. Taste, texture – and that illusive ‘je ne sais quoi’ are all factored into what constitutes the perfect snack or dessert.
Well, this mame mochi recipe is gunning for that number one spot in your snack rotation!
So buckle in – and let’s get cooking.
Ingredients
- 8 cups (supplied measuring cup) Mochi rice
- 1 cup Soy beans
- 1 tsp salt
- 1.7 cup water (for steaming)
Directions
- Wash the mochi rice and soak in water (separate from steaming water) for at least for 6 hours. Strain the rice for about 30 minutes.
- Wash the soy beans and soak for about 2 hours. Strain the soy beans.
- Insert the water (for steaming) in the water reservoir. Mount the inner container and turn clockwise to set in the mochi make. Mount the impeller to the motor shaft and turn until it stops.
- Place the rice and then the soy beans on top in the inner container and lightly level the rice by hand. Place the lid on top, making sure to not press down the rice. Connect the power pug and push “STEAM” button to start the steaming.
- The buzzer will ring when completed to show that the steam has ended. Press the “OFF” button to turn off the machine. Remove the lid and check if rice is soft.
- Leave the lid off and push the “POUND” button to start pounding the mochi. Sprinkle some salt while pounding for about 10 minutes.
- Push the “OFF” button after 10 minutes. Use mitten gloves to hold the upper rim of the inner container and remove the container from the body by turning counterclockwise (LOOSEN arrow). Take caution as the inner container is hot.
- Flip the container over on the cover to take out the mochi. If the impeller comes off with the mochi, remove it with caution.
WHAT IS MAME MOCHI?
Mame mochi (豆餅) is a simple combination of soybeans inside mochi.
And while that short ingredients list may sound a little pedestrian, it produces a Japanese snack that has an iconic springy texture and subtly sweet and nutty flavor.
The soybeans are suspended in rice cakes during the mochi making process and add a bit of complexity to the overall consistency. A sprinkle of salt is added at the end to counteract and enhance the sweetness.
Popular all over Japan, mame mochi is probably most highly revered in Kyoto where it is sold in wagashi shops alongside other traditional Japanese treats.
Fun fact: ‘wa’ means roughly ‘traditional Japanese’ – and ‘gashi’ translates to ‘sweets’. Therefore, ‘wagashi’ means something along the lines of ‘old-school Japanese sweets’.
So, is mame mochi a Japanese dessert or a snack?
Hmmm… well, we’d say it’s a bit of both!
BUT WAIT… WHAT IS MOCHI?!
Ah, maybe we got ahead of ourselves…
At its most basic, mochi (もち) is a chewy Japanese rice cake made of pounded glutinous rice (mochigome).
For a closer look at this Japanese staple, have a look at our post about mochi.
HOW TO MAKE MOCHI AT HOME
OK – before mochi makers, preparing mochi at home was a pretty labor intensive undertaking.
And while making it by hand is a fun communal exercise on New Year’s day with the family, we’re obviously fans of the whole cooking-with-the-press-of-a-button thing here at Tiger 😋
So it stands to reason that making this delicious vegan Japanese dessert at home is as simple as loading your pre-soaked sweet rice and soybeans to your Tiger Mochi Maker and hitting the Steam button.
Later, during the Pound cycle, simply sprinkle your mame mochi with a bit of salt – and that’s it.
We told you it was easy!
Enjoy!
Products used in this recipe
Electric Mochi Makers SMJ-B18U
Made in Japan This seasonal mochi (rice cake) maker with a simple control panel will conveniently help you mak […]
LEARN MORE