how to prepare mochi/ savoury Kirimochi (切り餅) at home

Grilled Kirimochi with Soy sauce & honey

Mochi, is an overall term for Japanese rice cake which is made of glutinous rice pounded into paste and molded into shape. In Japan it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki as a festive food for Japanese New Year. Meanwhile it is also available all year round but they are machine cut and not hand pounded, known as Kirimochi.

Fig. 2 Pack of individually wrapped Kirimochi (切り餅)

I found a pack of individually wrapped Kirimochi (切り餅) Fig. 2 from Japan Centre, UK and bought a pack home to try. In the past, my friends would buy a pack and take them with us to BBQ, rather unusal and creative I thought.

To eat this at home as a little savory snack is incredibly easy and quick to make and not much washing to do and it is also fat-free!!!

Ingredients:

• Kirimochi (切り餅), unwrapped (1-2 pieces per person)
• 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1.5 tbsp clear honey
• ground sesame seeds
• seaweed (nori), cut into pieces, big enough to wrap the kirimochi, square or rectangular shaped as you desired.

Method:

• Mix the honey and soy sauce, stir until they are well mixed.
• Heat up a non-stick pan, I prefer making 2 pieces at a time, so to better control as the Kirimochi will cool down and they are best served as soon as they are cooked.
• When the pan is hot enough, place 2 pieces kirimochi onto the pan apart (Fig. 3) so they will not stick together when hot, they will get puffy and expand to almost double in size. This will take a few minutes. No cooking oil is needed, it is amazing that they will not stick to the pan at all. Grill on both sides (Fig. 4). 
• When the kirimochi are cooked on both sides and turned a little brown. Brush the soy sauce honey mix to the top side and then place the kirimochi on a piece of seaweed and sprinkle some ground sesame seeds on top with a sesame seeds mill if you happen to have one (Fig. 1). Otherwise non-ground sesame seeds are fine too. Lastly fold the seaweed round the kirimochi.
• As soon as the kirimochi is away from heat, it will reduce its sized again and not puffy anymore. Serve when it is hot to enjoy its softness and super chewiness but do try a small bite first in case it is too hot. The mochi will harden when it cools down.

Enjoy!

Fig. 3 Kirimochi placed on a heated nonstick pan

Fig. 4 Kirimochi cooked and expanded to almost doubled its size

Reference:

• Blog post by Tess @ Tess’s Japanese Kitchen