On and off, over the years, both Annie and I have tried to make mochi at home. Unsucessfully. Motivated by our February's chaji we took up the cause once again. We both found recipes and instruction on the Internet, and set out on parallel paths to achieve mochi proficiency.
I studied what I could in my cookbooks (better if I could read Japanese) and used a recipe I found on the Internet. My first two attempts were inedible.
Overcooked. Pasty and dry. I was demoralized.
Then came Annie's breakthrough. Two days before the Chaji she called, ecstatic. She was able to make daifuku mochi that was tender and delicious. She made a fresh batch on the morning of the Chaji.
Her secret? Corn syrup. And microwaving in short bursts. I tried her recipe a few days later and had similar success. Not quite so pretty as Annie's, but definitely edible.
For this week's at tea practice, she brought some beautiful homemade wagashi. Tasty little works of art.
Here' s the recipe that Annie found online:
Oishi desu!
Oishi desu!
