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 UCLA Folklore 15 MultimediaProject by Cynthia Wong © [permission granted to Scocasso! website]
Mochi, The modernized way that my folk group prepares mochi makes it an intriguing folk object to study because it shows how the folk process has changed. More technologically advanced materials have made the process much easier and quicker, compared to the traditional way of making this confection. Another more important aspect of folklore that this process sheds light upon is how this folk process can persist in time and space. Just because mochi is part of Japanese culture does not exclude other ethnic groups from integrating it into their cultures. Considering that my folkgroup's ethnicity is Chinese-Pilipino proves the widespread existence of this folk process.
Background: The folk group of my study includes my sister and me. We make mochi for special family occasions, mainly birthdays and holidays, because food is an essential part of our family's get-togethers. The food is supposed to promote good fortune and health among family members who are present. Our first exposure to Japanese mochi, though, was roughly a decade ago. A neighbor, who had just come back from a business trip to Japan, brought us mochi. As youngsters, my sister and I immediately ate the confection, but did not continue to eat it because we thought it was only made in Japan. Only years later did we see mochi again in a Japanese grocery and our consumption of it was renewed. My folk group's interest in preparing and eating Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Pilipino foods led to our experimentation of different mochi recipes from Japanese cookbooks. The mochi recipes did not yield the desired results; the mochi was not soft or chewy enough. Fortunately, my mother was given a Mochi Micro-Baker by a Japanese co-worker for Christmas in 1996, which provides a simple recipe for mochi which my folk group uses to make mochi.
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Materials Used for |
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Forming the Mochi Mixture
I combine sweet rice flour and white sugar in a bowl, and then add hot water to the dry ingredients so that the sugar melts and all ingredients are blended well together. Compared with traditional mochi-tsuki, my method for making mochi is more practical because sweet rice flour can be combined with hot water as a substitute for glutinous rice. My process takes only 5 minutes, compared to the hour needed to steam and pound rice for traditional-style mochi.
Cooking the Mochi
I prepare to put the micro-baker inside the microwave. The mixture cooks for 2 minutes on medium-high heat, and another 2 minutes on medium heat. Technological implements, such as the micro-baker and the microwave distinguish my family's mochi-making process from traditional mochi-tsuki.
Preparing the Mochi
After the mochi is finished cooking in the microwave, the ring of mochi is placed on a plate and cut into 2-inch (5.5+cm) squares of mochi, about 2 centimeters thick. Our family eats mochi in 2 different ways: (1) mochi dipped in roasted soy bean flour, called kinako and (2)mochi filled with ube, a sweet Pilipino taro paste, or manju, sweetened red-bean paste.
My twin sister, Jenny, likes the task of filling mochi with ube. We personalize and make mochi our own folk object by using this Pilipino food in our mochi. |
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Please visit the original site here: Cindy Wong's Mochi-Making Home Page |
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a Japanese
confection, is a small, round rice 'cake' which can be eaten with
condiments such as kinako (roasted soy bean flour), manju
(sweet red bean paste), soy sauce dip, and seaweed. Traditionally, mochi
is made by pounding steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden mortar,
usu in Japanese, with a wooden mallet, kine.
Mochi-tsuki (mochi making) is the Japanese term for the old-style
method of pounding the steamed glutinous rice used to make mochi.
My sister and I work
together to ensure that there are no lumps remaining in the mochi mixture.
We are the only two members in our family who make mochi because we have
the recipe and the most enthusiam for making it. Other family members
leave us to make mochi because they have busier lives. To be frank, my
sister and I like making 
Once the mochi
mixture is well-incorporated, my mother decides to help! She greases the
micro-baker and then pours in the mochi mixture. The micro-baker is a
microwavable plastic container that does not overcook the mochi.
