Monday, December 3, 2018

One of My Most Favorite Mochi Ever: Ichigo Daifuku (いちご 大福)


Without a doubt, Japan is one of my favorite countries that I have travelled to so far in my life! So many things about it make me fall in love with the country: food, architecture, nature, people, etc! I could go on, but my best advice is to actually go there and experience it yourself! The people I have met and gotten to know there are just so adorable and cute. The politeness and kindness of everybody just motivates me and just constantly reminds me that there are good people in this world that constantly reminds us of how dangerous it can be as well. Also, once you try the food, it will immediately make you realize Japan's food is unlike any other country in this world! One of the snacks I enjoyed every time I am in Japan is mochi! Almost all kinds of mochi I love, whether it would be plain, filled with anko red bean paste, or even flavored with sweet soy sauce topping!
Mochiko flour (like this one here) or Shiratamako flour works the best to make this mochi!
I just love the chewiness of the rice cake and dumplings! So satisfying! Several foods that have that chewy texture that I look for are in tapioca pearls (also known as sago or bubbles), Filipino kakanin (sticky rice treats) like sapin-sapin or palitaw and Brazilian pão de queijo (cheese bread). Most of these wonderful call for specific ingredients: Glutinous rice flour or cassava flour or tapioca starch. These ingredients are essential in producing that chewy, bouncy texture that I know and love in these treats and especially mochi! Luckily, these ingredients are generally inexpensive and accessible in most countries. Whenever I travel to a specific country, there are certain things I want to learn to make so that I could try making it back at home whenever I crave for it! To me, food is such a big part of a country's culture, and is also a way to share connections with people from around the world! Whenever I am in Japan, these strawberry daifuku mochi treats are almost everywhere, depending on the season! From autumn to spring during the Sakura cherry blossom seasons, these treats are being sold on almost every city in Japan! With a little patience and lots of love, this treat can be made by you in your own home!
This is the mochi all mixed together and heated to make it into this! Tough part is kneading and shaping this stickyness!
Now here are my tips for making this wonderful treat: try to make sure that the rice flour you are using to make this is Glutinous rice flour! Local Filipino glutinous rice flour or even Thai glutinous rice flour can work for this but of course, the Japanese mochiko rice flour or shiratamako rice flour works best to make this because it's less sticky and easier to mix. This rice flour can be purchased at most Asian or Japanese markets where you are and even online! This can be said for anko red bean paste as well. Now for the strawberries: make sure the strawberries you get are generally larger than average and sweet: this is the main focus of this refreshing and delicious treat! Strawberries are in season in some countries all year round. Where I am from (Philippines), it's only in season during certain months (November to May), similar to Japan so take advantage of that! 
It helps to weigh the dough out and then divide it to get equal amounts! That way, you can cover the fruits better!


ICHIGO DAIFUKU (Strawberry Filled Mochi)
Recipe courtesy of Nami from Just One Cookbook
Prep time: 40 mins
Cook time: 3 mins
Yield: 6 Strawberry Daifuku
*I highly recommend to invest in a digital scale to weigh out the ingredients and portions. This is very useful in producing consistent food products! 

INGREDIENTS:
  • 6 Large Strawberries (the sweeter, the better!)
  • 150g anko red bean paste (approx. 5.30 oz) This is available at most Japanese/Asian markets
  • 100g Shiratamako/Mochiko Flour (Glutinous rice flour/Sweet rice flour) Also available at most Japanese/Asian markets
  • 20g granulated sugar (approx. 2 tbsp.)
  • 150 ml water (lukewarm)
Preparing the strawberries and the red bean paste helps you work faster and quicker for beautiful appearance! Remember: aim for larger and sweeter strawberries. They really shine in this dessert!
INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Rinse, dry and chop the top part with the stems of the strawberries. Set aside on a chopping board. Divide the anko red bean paste into 6 even pieces (25g each piece). The paste is sticky so make sure to wash your hands and dry them up before handling them.
  2. Slightly flatten the anko paste with your hands and wrap the strawberry around with it. Leave the tip of the strawberry uncovered.
  3. In a medium microwave-safe glass bowl, mix shiratamako or mochiko rice flour and granulated sugar with a whisk.
  4. Using a silicone spatula, add the water slowly in 3 parts, and mix until it has a thick consistency. Cover with plastic wrap, but just loosely.
  5. Put in a microwave at 1200W or watts for 1 minute. Mix well with a wet silicone spatula. The mixture will be slightly thicker and still have a grainy appearance.
  6. Microwave for a second time for 1 minute, and mix again with the wet silicone spatula. It will look more like mochi now, but still slightly wet and grainy.
  7. One last time, microwave the mixture but only for 30 seconds. By this time, the mochi should look translucent or almost see through. Remove the plastic wrap.
  8. Sift potato starch or cornstarch on a tray or glass dish, and put the mochi on top.
  9. With a silicone spatula or pastry scraper, fold the mochi mixture in half once, so that it won't be so sticky to handle and then divide into 6 equal pieces. *SEE NOTES
  10. After dividing, put some potato starch or corn starch on your hands, and flatten and stretch the mochi out into 3 inch round or square shape. Then put the anko covered strawberry on top, with the tip facing down.
  11. Cover the strawberry from all sides, and use your thumbs to hold the mochi on top. Work as fast and as neat as you can because mochi is very sticky and delicate. It can break if you touch it too much so always keep your hands floured! *SEE NOTES
  12. Once all the sides of the mochi meet on top, twist it and close. Hold the mochi with both hands and form into a nice round shape. Do the same with the rest of the azuki red bean paste covered strawberries.
  13. Serve at room temperature as soon as possible. They must be eaten within 2 days.
You must work fast and be gentle if you want your mochi to come out smooth and be able to cover up the entire strawberry and red bean paste!

RECIPE NOTES:

  • To divide the mochi into 6 almost equal pieces, I use my digital scale to weigh out the entire mochi dough first. I then calculate the total amount and divide into 6 equal pieces. That way, you more or less get the same amount of mochi to cover up the strawberries. I do this with the azuki red bean paste as well!
  • This mochi mixture is very sticky so it's important to have cornstarch or potato starch ready on your hands and table to handle the sticky mixture! It's also very important to work very fast if you want the mochi to come out smooth to cover the entire strawberry. But no worries if it doesn't look perfect! It will still taste chewy, refreshing and delicious!


Once you get used to making these, they can be addicting to eat! Share them with your loved ones, and let them experience this popular Japanese sweet!






4 comments:

  1. I feel like I'm in the anime Food Wars as I'm reading this. You're such an articulate food critic (I can't describe a food experience as good as this). Now it's 4am and I'm craving for mochi. :/

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    1. Awww I’m flattered by your comments! Yes this mochi is one of my favorite things to have everytime I’m in Japan! That’s why I’m sharing it with everyone so they can taste the wonders of Japan, too! Cheers!

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  2. Hello! I found your blog while searching for where to buy shiratamako in Manila. I actually just tried making the same mochi recipe with local rice flour, and the texture is all wrong. :( It's just soft and not even that sticky. I'm looking for that kind of al dente quality that mochi is supposed to have and I guess I really need to use shiratamako.

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    1. Hi there! Yeah the local rice flour isn't as good as the ones in Japan based on my experience. There are several Japanese supply stores in Manila particularly in Makati area that sell Shiratamako flour or another alternative, Mochiko flour. The stores I have been able to find some are called New Hatchin and also the shop called Yamazaki. I hope you will be able to find it! I think there are some who sell online as well. Cheers!

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