Here’s my quick and easy Strawberry Mochi Recipe that uses sweet rice flour and fresh strawberries. Pop the mochiko batter in the microwave to make the perfect mochi, and wrap the layer around a strawberry. Yes, it’s that easy to make. There is no bean mixture or ice cream, making it a simpler recipe.
Mochi is one of my favorite desserts; adding fresh strawberries creates a different dessert. You can add the sweet red bean filling if you want, but this recipe is fine without it.
From a very young age, I loved mochi. So, it’s not surprising that I have a few recipes over here. Yes, I bit obsessed with this fun Japanese dessert!
What is Mochi?
First off, it is pronounced moh-chee.
Mochi is a Japanese dessert that is made from pounded rice. Mochi is pounded sticky rice, usually in a round ball. Daifuku is another Japanese dessert that has mochi as an outer layer and is stuffed with a sweet red bean paste. We will use rice flour, add water, sugar, and strawberries for this recipe, and form it into a ball-shaped dessert. The center will be filled with a whole fresh strawberry.
Where Did Mochi Originate?
The pounding of rice originated in China. Mochi started in the Japanese Heian period, 794–1192.
Is Mochi Eaten Cold or Hot?
This mochi recipe is served at room temperature.
How to Make Strawberry Mochi
For this recipe, the mochi has no added strawberry flavoring. If you like, you can probably add strawberry juice and delete the amount of water you add to the batter.
Ingredients:
Water
Sugar
Strawberry
Cornstarch
Directions for Strawberry Mochi
Step 1 – Prep Your Counter and Strawberries
Clean your counter and sprinkle it with Mochiko flour or cornstarch. I placed parchment paper down and then covered it with cornstarch.
Also, sprinkle a container or plate with Mochiko flour or cornstarch.
Wash strawberries and pat dry. Make sure they are thoroughly dry before using them for mochi.
Step 2 – Measure and Mix Sugar and Flour
Measure out the Mochiko flour and sugar and mix in a medium size bowl.
Step 3 – Add Water, Vinegar, and Food Coloring
We have always made pink mochi; I’m not sure why that’s traditional. You can make your mochi any color that you like. Also, you’ll need a drop of vinegar which helps keep the mochi pliable after it’s cooked.
Add the water, vinegar, and food coloring to the rice flour.
Step 4 – Microwave the Mochi
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a microwaveable plate.
Place the mochi mixture in the microwave and cook on a high setting for a minute. Not all microwaves have the same strength, so your cook time might be less or more. Please adjust accordingly. I have a powerful microwave.
Take out of the oven and stir. Cover again with plastic and cook another minute.
Repeat this until you cook it for about 4 minutes.
You’ll notice that the mochi will start to bake on the sides of the bowl. As you continue, the whole mixture will bake. If, after 4 minutes, everything is cooked except the middle, that’s ok. It’s done.
Step 5 – Molding Mochi
Form dough into a small pancake about 3 ½ – 4 inches wide in diameter.
Place one strawberry in the middle of your round pancake and place the strawberry upside down. Next, bring up the sides of the mochi and pinch them in the middle. Make sure that all edges get pinched together, so there are no holes.
Roll mochi in a ball in your hand. Place seams side down on a plate sprinkled with Mochiko flour or cornstarch.
Strawberry Mochi Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberries
- 15 fresh whole strawberries wash the thoroughly dry
Mochi
- 1½ cup Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour I use the brand, Koda Farms Mochiko Flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1½ cup water
- 2 drops white vinegar It keeps the mochi pliable
- drops red food coloring
- cornstarch or mochiko flour This is used to dust the surface and your hands while forming the mochi
Instructions
Strawberries
- Wash and rinse strawberries. Remove the green leaves. Dry the strawberries thoroughly before placing them in the mochi.
Prep Counter
- Clean your counter and sprinkle it with Mochiko flour or cornstarch. I place parchment paper down and then cover it with cornstarch.Also, sprinkle a container or plate with Mochiko flour or cornstarch.
Mochi
- Measure out the Mochiko flour and sugar and mix in a medium size bowl.
- Add the water, vinegar, and food coloring to the rice flour. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
- Cover the bowl with a microwaveable plate or wrap.
- Place the mochi mixture in the microwave and cook on a high setting for a minute. Not all microwaves have the same strength, so your cook time might be less or more. Please adjust accordingly. I have a powerful microwave.
- After a minute of cooking, take it out of the oven and stir. Cover again with plastic and cook another minute.Repeat this until you cook it for about 4 minutes, and make sure to stir the mochi each time.
Forming Mochi
- On your prepped countertop, form dough into a small pancake about 3 ½ – 4 inches wide in diameter. Be careful; the dough is super hot. Also, the mochi will be sticky, so dust your hands and the mochi with cornstarch or mochiko flour.
- Place one strawberry in the middle of your round pancake, and place the strawberry upside down. Next, bring up the sides of the mochi and pinch the dough together. Make sure that all edges get pinched together, so there are no holes.
- Roll mochi in a ball in your hand. Place the seam side down on a plate sprinkled with Mochiko flour or cornstarch.
Nutrition
Important Notes About Making Mochi and More
Powdered Sugar
I noticed on a few websites people used powdered sugar instead of cornstarch to keep their mochi from sticking. Well, the thing about any sugars is they break down and melt. So if you add it to your mochi, you are now left with wet mochi! So, please use cornstarch, mochiko, or even potato flour to keep your mochi from sticking.
Microwaving the Mochi
Now that I’m making my mochi in the microwave, it is much easier to handle and form the balls. But watch the dough while cooking since each microwave setting can vary.
Sugar Amount
You might think there is a lot of sugar in the mochi. But I believe you need it to form the dough. We have always made it where the sugar is almost equal to the amount of sweet rice flour.
How Do You Store Mochi?
I found I can leave it out in a Tupperware container for about two days, but then it needs to be wrapped in plastic and placed in the refrigerator. It is a dessert you’ll want to eat in the first couple of days. So, the fresher mochi, the better it tastes. After a couple of days in the refrigerator, the mochi will get hard. So, my brothers will pop them in the microwave for a couple of seconds to soften the mochi.
Is Mochi Dangerous to Eat?
When I was a little girl, I would try and swallow a big bite of sticky mochi, and of course, I choked. So, take small bites since they can be sticky down your throat. I guess every year, Japan has emergency cases of choking on mochi.
Why is Mochi So Popular in Japan?
It is popular at New Year’s because it represents good fortune. Also, if you stack a bunch of mochis in your home, it will bring good luck.
Mochi also represents good health. So the big New Year’s Day feast is usually served in a savory dish, similar to soup, called Ozoni. You are supposed to eat it to have a healthy and great year.
Thanks so much for joining me this week for my Japanese recipes. I enjoyed sharing this fun and delicious strawberry mochi recipe with you. I hope you have a chance to make it since the strawberries will be in season soon.
Cheers,
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Pat
Hi Janine,
How big a spoonful of Mochi dough do you need to form the 3 1/2 – 4” wrap? How thick does the circle end up being?
Thanks for sharing this recipe it looks so tasty. Can’t wait to try it.
Pat
Janine Waite
Hi Pat,
My brother asks the same question, and I do kind of eyeball it. It probably is like a 1/2 cup of dough. Keep the middle of the round circle thicker if you’re using a strawberry for the filling. Otherwise, the strawberry will show through the dough. Good luck, and thanks for reaching out to me!