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Mochi Sesame Seeds
Make hawker-style mochi coated with sesame seeds and sugar just like the one sold in many Asian countries.
If you love mochi and want a super quick recipe to curb your mochi craving, then you need to make this ASAP. You probably need less than 15 minutes from start to finish, and it is a good thing too since you may want to make another batch, and another batch.
This is a good recipe to learn, not only because it is super easy, but also because this ticks all the boxes if you have guests coming. Vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, and dairy-free; everyone will be able to sample your treats and you will be a hero!
School Days Memory
When I say mochi, I mean Chinese version, not Japanese version. Anyone growing up in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and probably most Asian countries will definitely have a very fond memory with this snack.
I remember fondly the mochi seller on a bicycle with his tin box on the passenger seat, selling mochi to hungry school kids. It’s definitely one of my favorite treats in school, and judging by the crowds, a lot of other kids too.
Being kids are fun, the hardest thing to decide is which treat to get for school breaks. :D
Microwave, parchment paper, and a plastic knife
This mochi recipe is easy because your microwave is going to do everything for you. If you don’t have a microwave, you can go old school and steam your mochi.
But once you try using your microwave for making mochi, you kinda don’t want to go back to steaming again, ever.
Next little help is a piece of parchment paper. I turned my cooked mochi on this and it will be so much easier to handle because it won’t stick to your chopping block!
The same with using a plastic knife to cut the mochi, it’s just so much easier, trust me.
Be sure to wait for the mochi to cool slightly until they are warm and you can handle them comfortable with your hands. Then, proceed with coating them with the sesame seeds and sugar mixture.
Sesame seeds + sugar
Technically you can use all black sesame seeds, or all plain sesame seeds. But if you have both kinds stocked in your pantry, might as well use both since I think the color contrast is very pretty.
You can buy pre-toasted sesame seeds, but you can also toast them yourself. Just place the required amount on a frying pan, and heat on medium until the seeds start to jump a bit.
You may want to stir them every so often so the seeds are evenly toasted. Once toasted, simply use a food processor to grind them to powder, and then mix with sugar.
Allergic to sesame seeds?
If for whatever reason you cannot eat sesame seeds, then you can substitute with ground toasted peanuts. Another idea is to use roasted soybean flour (kinako), which you can get from Asian market selling Japanese ingredients.
Mochi Sesame Seeds
Ingredients
- Mochi
- 135 gram glutinous rice flour
- 2 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 220 ml water
- 2 tablespoon oil
- Sesame seeds coating
- 50 gram ground toasted sesame seeds + 40 gram sugar (mix together)
- 50 gram ground toasted black sesame seeds + 40 gram sugar (mix together)
Instructions
- To make the mochi: In a microwave proof bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch, water, and oil until smooth. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, take it out and knead (fold) with spatula for 1 minute. Microwave again for another 1 minute, and then knead (fold) until smooth.
- Transfer the cooked mochi on a parchment paper. With a plastic knife, divide into two portions. Cut each portion into bite size pieces. Let the mochi cools slightly until warm and comfortable enough to handle with your hands.
- Coat one portion of mochi pieces with plain toasted sesame seeds and sugar mixture. And coat another portion with black toasted sesame seeds and sugar mixture. Serve immediately.
Comments
hello! What if I don't have a microwave? What is the old school technique for steaming these?
Hi Sarah, you can try this: 1. Prepare a steamer. 2. Oil a steamed proof bowl and set aside. The oil is there to make the mochi easier to remove from the bowl. 3. In a mixing bowl, mix together glutinous rice flour, tapioca starch, and water into a smooth batter. Pour the batter into the oiled bowl. 4. Steam the mochi for 40 minutes.
OMG I grew up in Hawaii and haven't had Mochi since moving to Israel! I can't wait to try this!
I heard there are plenty of Asian food choices in Hawaii. Will definitely try to visit Hawaii one of these days.
Great detail in yur recipe. It makes me want to run to kitchen and try this. The Black sesame seeds look beautiful.
This recipe turned out better than i thought. Only because i have little faith in my own cooking. The recipe is easy to follow and they were very yummy.
Thanks for the lovely comment. This recipe is indeed very newbie friendly. :)
These are such yummy afternoon snacks! I had no idea it was so easy to make them. I like the color contrast of using both kinds of sesame seeds too.
They are my favorite snack! Plus, sesame seeds are very healthy, so there is no guilty feeling from eating too much.
Wow I’ve never had anything like this. Pinning so I can try them soon!
You are missing out Matt. We Asians love the texture of mochi, and as such, this snack is definitely well loved by all Asian. :)
Very easy to make thank you!
And here we have another "I can't believe this was so easy, how could I have never tried this??" recipe.
I've eaten a good deal of rice cakes, but mostly Korean ones (and I do refer to the dessert types here, not the ddeok for savory dishes). I still can't quite put my finger on what makes each country's different, other than softness or density... So, as far as I'm concerned, this microwave magic made a delicious, chewy mochi with perfect mouth-feel for my preference.
I wasn't sure how much stirring or needing was really required, since it looked pretty good with just the minimal effort, but I gave it a few extra fold-overs in case.
The problem I had was that... after coating them in the sesame mix, they looked absolutely TERRIBLE. The coating became a gloopy black syrup: I wasn't sure if it was because my scale is really crappy and it had too much oil/water that seeped out of the mochi after cooking, or if I coated them when it was still too hot and the steam started melting the sugar? What I could have missed (being a newbie to rice cake making and all)?
Also, I know rice cakes aren't the best kept in the fridge- they have to be reheated to get that yummy, elastic chewiness back. Odds are that I'm the only one who eats these (sad, sad face), so do you have any suggestions for keeping these, or is it just better to make a smaller serving?
Milky, the reason why the coating turned syrupy was most likely due to the mochi was still too hot. I probably should have added in the recipe to wait until the mochi turns slightly warm and comfortable enough to handle with bare hands before coating them. I'll update the recipe with your input. :)
And you are right that mochi is not the best thing to keep in the fridge. I usually just put the whole thing in an airtight container and let it sit in the countertop. If you plan to finish the mochi in 1-2 days, they should stay fresh for that long.
What a delicious recipe! I cannot wait to make this. It's the perfect topping for so many different foods.
I never would have thought of making mochi, but you make it look easy!
I have always wanted to try these!! They look sooo yummy and I just never had the chance. Now I’ll make some!! 😃
Wow this was a great recipe, never made anything like this before. Thank you for the great idea :)
This is a new recipe for me, I've had mochi ice cream, but nothing like this! Can't wait to try!
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