Mochigashi: Japanese Sweets Made From Mochi
Mochigashi is a Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice and mochigome. It is often eaten with red bean paste and green tea and it is a type of wagashi or sweet confection often served with green tea.
Mochigashi is a traditional Japanese sweet that has been enjoyed for centuries. It is a chewy and dense treat that is perfect for any occasion.
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What does “mochigashi” mean?
Mochigashi refers to the rice used mochigome and it being a type of mochi (a glutinous rice cake) and gashi, which means congratulations but is also often used to refer to sweets. So mochigashi means sweets made from mochi.
What’s the origin of mochigashi?
The origin of mochigashi is unknown but it’s thought to date back to the Heian period (794-1185). It was likely created as a way to use up leftover mochi rice.
Mochigashi became popular in the Edo period (1603-1868) and was often given as a gift or served at special occasions, like during the autumn (serving ohagi) and spring celebrations (serving botamochi).
How is mochigashi made?
Mochigashi is made by steaming mochi rice and then pounding it into a paste. The paste is then formed into different shapes and sizes, typically small balls. Once the mochigashi has cooled, it can be eaten as is.
Types of mochigashi
Ohagi
Ohagi are balls of mochigashi that are coated in a sweet sauce or paste. The most common filling is red bean paste but there are many other variations, like chestnut, peanut, sesame seed, and green tea.
Daifuku
Daifuku are balls of mochigashi that are filled with a sweet filling, like red bean paste or fruit.
Conclusion
Mochigashi refers to many types of sweet mochi, and is a dessert or celebratory dish that can be enjoyed by anyone.
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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.
