Hojicha Mochi with Tapioca Flour
Hojicha mochi has an earthy flavor and jelly-like texture. You can substitute kinako (roasted soybean flour) with almond flour. Place one to two tablespoons of almond flour on a small sheet of aluminum foil and toast for one minute in a toaster oven. It burns easily, so watch closely. Move the almond flour a few times with a spoon. We put black bean anko sauce on top. You can drizzle maple syrup, if you like.
Ingredients
- 5g loose leaf hojicha (or 2 teabags)
- 1⅔ cups (400cc) water
- 80g (2.8 oz) tapioca flour (starch)
- 30g (1 oz) brown sugar (or regular sugar)
- 1-2 tablespoon kinako (roasted soybean flour) or toasted almond flour
- ½ to 1 tablespoon sugar
- black bean anko sauce (recipe can be found at matcha jelly) to taste
- maple syrup to taste
Instructions
- Line a 6" x 4" container with a sheet of plastic wrap.
- In a small pan, put the hojicha and water. Bring it to boil over medium heat and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently, covered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Strain.
- In a medium pan, combine the tapioca four, brown sugar and hojicha and mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Cook the mixture over medium heat until it starts to boil.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir vigorously for about 8 to 10 minutes or until the mixture is thick and evenly translucent.
- Remove from heat and pour the mixture into the container (the mixture is very hot, so be careful)
- Cool it to room temperature and then put it in the refrigerator for one hour (if you leave it for more than one hour, cover it with a sheet of plastic wrap)
- In a small bowl, mix the kinako (or almond flour) and the sugar.
- Spread a sheet of plastic wrap on a cutting board and put the half of the kinako sugar.
- Put the mochi onto the kinako sugar and sprinkle the remaining kinako sugar on top.
- With a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the mochi into small pieces, about ¾ inch squares.
- The mochi is sticky--if you need to use your fingers to separate them, coat your fingers with some kinako sugar.
- Coat all sides of the mochi with kinako, put them on a plate and serve.
- Add anko sauce or maple syrup to taste.