When I return from trips, I love recreating the most memorable dishes I discovered while traveling. I still remember my exchange program in Costa Rica as a teen: I talked my mom into buying a rice cooker, stocked up on black beans, and stuffed my suitcase with Salsa Lizano. I insisted on eating Gallo Pinto nearly every day that summer. Whenever a food connects to a travel memory, I become determined to make it at home.
Grilled matcha mochi
Lately I’ve been hooked on Japanese mochi. During a visit to Japan earlier this year I enjoyed mochi several times a day. In Kyoto I fell for grilled mochi — some filled with sweet bean paste, others brushed with a caramelized soy glaze. Each bite was a little piece of heaven.
Traditionally, mochi is made by pounding steamed sticky rice. That method is amazing, but you can make very good mochi at home using sweet rice flour (Mochiko). Below I show an easy version using sweet rice flour and matcha powder to add color and a subtle, earthy tea flavor. In Japan, green mochi is sometimes made with mugwort (yomogi), but matcha is a lovely, accessible alternative.
I especially love grilled daifuku mochi, also called yakimochi: crisped on the outside, chewy inside, with sweet red bean paste that oozes out when you bite into it. It’s simple to prepare, satisfying, and perfect straight from the grill or skillet. Fire up the grill and enjoy!
Grilled Matcha Mochi // Daifuku Yakimochi
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet rice flour Mochiko brand
- 1 tsp matcha powder
- 3/4 to 1 cup water
- 1 cup red bean paste sweetened
Instructions
- Add the sweet rice flour and matcha powder to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Pour in about 1/4 cup of water and stir, then add more water gradually until the mixture becomes doughy. If it gets too runny, add a bit more flour.
- Dust a work surface with rice flour, transfer the dough, knead briefly, and shape it into a long roll.
- Divide the dough into 8–12 portions and roll each into a ball.
- To fill, place a dough ball in your floured palm, flatten it, and add about 1 tablespoon of red bean paste to the center.
- Enclose the paste fully with the dough, pinch to seal, and flatten each filled mochi to about 1/2 inch thick. Set aside.
- Heat and lightly grease a grill, grill pan, or skillet over medium heat.
- Grill the mochi 4–5 minutes per side, until the exterior is crisp and golden and the mochi is heated through.
- Place cooked mochi on a plate and continue with the remaining pieces. Serve hot.
Notes
Love this grilled matcha mochi? Leave a review below and tell me your favorite Japanese dish!