Matcha Mochi with Sweetened Red Beans

Do you love Mochi? It is a Japanese dessert popular across the world. It has become super popular locally now. Made with sticky rice flour and matcha powder, it has a lovely green color and a refreshing taste. Additionally, I add sweetened red beans which add extra texture to the dessert.

This version is a vegetarian version using vegetable oil. You can also use butter to make it a match butter mochi. Now let’s learn how to make it at home with several super simple steps.

Matcha powder – the great green color

For tea lovers, matcha is always a loved option matter in latte or milk teas. I love to use it in baking including bread, cookies, and other desserts. High-quality matcha powder is much better looking with almost no bitter taste. So use cooking grade or premium grade.

Ingredients

Sticky rice flour or glutinous rice flour: Sticky rice flour is the key ingredient for mochi. It is an ingredient popular across Asia. In Chinese food culture, sticky rice flour is mainly associated with holidays like Tangyuan for the Spring Festival or Ci ba for mid-autumn Day.

Milk: is the liquid ingredient. Water or coconut milk can be used if you want a vegan version. To reduce the stickiness, cornstarch is also incorporated into the dough.

Sugar works as a sweetener for the dough.

Sweetened red bean is a super popular add-on to regular milk tea. It is called red bean boba pearls in the world of bubble tea. You can purchase store-bought canned sweetened red beans directly or make them at home via this tutorial. If you don’t have it by hand, simply skip this or replace it with other fillings.

How to make matcha mochi

In a large bowl, mix sticky rice flour, cornstarch, milk, and sugar. Whisk to combine well. It may have some small pumps at the beginner, continue stirring until smooth in texture.

Strain once to remove any bumps inside. And then add oil. Mix well.

If you want to use butter, you need to add them after steaming the batter.

Cover with a plastic wrapper and poke some small holes on the surface. Now, transfer the batter to a steamer or steam for 20 minutes.

Pan-frying method dough

Another method for this step is pan-frying.

• Pour the batter into a non-stick pan and fry over a slow fire, stirring continuously until it forms a smooth dough.
• If you plan to use butter, add the butter just after steaming. The remaining heat will make it melt very quickly. Then knead with your hand until the liquid butter is well absorbed.

Assemble the Mochi

Then we will start pulling the dough for a better texture and taste. I use this technique in Snow Skin Mooncakes too. Repeat several times until the dough becomes very smooth.

Add sweetened red beans to match the matcha mochi dough. Then re-knead several times until well combined.

We need to divide the match mochi dough into smaller pieces for better serving. Slightly dust the operating board with cooked sticky rice flour.

Then shape the dough into a long log and cut it into 3-4 cm pieces.