Mochi Daifuku (Soft Rice Cake Stuffed with Red Bean Paste)
Glutinous rice flour is mixed with water and sugar, steamed or microwaved until it becomes a translucent, stretchy mass, then dusted with starch and wrapped around a ball of sweet red bean paste. The outer mochi shell is soft and pliable, yielding to the teeth with a slow, elastic pull before giving way to the dense sweetness of the filling inside. Because the dough begins to firm and lose its characteristic chew within hours, daifuku is best eaten the day it is made. Swapping the red bean for fresh strawberry or ice cream produces popular seasonal and modern variations. The starch coating - typically potato or cornstarch - serves a dual purpose: preventing the pieces from sticking to each other and adding a dry, powdery contrast to the otherwise tacky surface.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Mix rice flour, sugar, salt, and water into a smooth batter.
- 2
Microwave covered for 2 minutes, stir, then cook 1-2 minutes more.
- 3
Spread dough on a starch-dusted surface and let it cool slightly.
- 4
Divide bean paste into 4 balls and portion mochi dough into 4 pieces.
- 5
Flatten each piece, wrap around filling, and seal the seam.
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