Mochi

Mochi, one of the world’s most popular little treats. Originating from Japan, it consists of a sweet, soft, and squishy substance you can eat, having many different flavors and fillings. To kids, mochi can be looked at as an edible version of play-doh or slime, with the exception of it not only being edible, but also looking, tasting, and smelling a lot better. Mochi comes in all different shapes, sizes, textures, and flavors, depending on where you buy it and what’s inside it. For example, the coconut mochi they have at bakeries are larger than the ones you find in the snack aisle in the supermarket. Not only are they covered in coconut flakes, but they also have a sugary peanut filling inside, so when you bite into it, you get the textures of the crispy coconut flakes, the soft mochi, and the crunchy sugar-covered peanuts as well. Some other types of mochi would be the ones you find on the shelves in any Asian supermarket. The fillings on the inside of these mochi resemble flavorful pastes, such as sweet red bean paste, and are perfect for quick little snacks. Some popular flavors being green tea, taro, and strawberry, all having their own smooth, delicious fillings. Another most common form you find in the supermarket is mochi ice cream, but not many people like it because the mochi exterior gets ruined from being frozen and processed, the only good thing people like is the ice cream inside.

Even though most people usually get mochi from a bakery or buy it from the store, my favorite way is to make it myself. Homemade mochi is so much fresher and tastes fantastic because you can adjust the recipe to however you like, from changing the sweetness to choosing what kind of filling you want inside. Surprisingly, mochi isn’t very hard to make, using glutinous rice flour, water, and any additional toppings or fillings you want to add yourself. If you learn how to make it, you can enjoy the soft, chewy, pillow-like mochi you’ve made all by yourself!