10 types of Mochi

In our previous blog post you could read about different Wagashi: Japanese sweets, from different places in Japan. In today's post we will introduce you to 10 different kinds of mochi, one of the most famous and popular Dagashi which are also available in other countries! Sadly not all of these variations are being sold outside Japan though. Real mochi lovers will have to get creative and make some themselves! Maybe you can find a recipe on one of the websites mentioned here.

1. Daifuku

Daifuku are usually softer than other mochi and filled with delicious ingredients such as red bean paste. A very popular variation is called ichigo daifuku.

2. Sakura mochi

Japanese supermarkets usually start selling Sakura mochi in spring. The texture is more sticky and sweeter than the traditional mochi. The leaf it's wrapped in can be eaten as well and tastes salty which gives it in interesting taste. It's usually filled with red bean paste.

3. Warabi mochi

Warabi mochi are made of bracken starch and therefore turn out softer than other mochi, almost jelly-like! While the original mochi contains rice flour, warabi mochi doesn't. In Osaka people like to serve warabi mochi with kinako powder, in other parts of Japan people like serving them with warm sweet syrup.

4. Kusa mochi

Kusa Mochi literally means grass mochi and it's also called Yomogi mochi. It is made with Japanese mugswort which gives it the green texture and leafy flavor and it's sometimes filled with red bean paste. Just like sakura mochi, Kusa mochi is often served in spring.

5. Dango

Dango aren't considered mochi by many people because of the way they are made but they are in many ways similar. The original dango are served with sweet soy sauce sauce and are called mitarashi dango. There's also a sweet version which are called hanami dango or festival dango. The texture of dango is definitely more chewy than mochi. Wanna make your own hanami dango? Check it out here!

6. Hishi mochi

Hishi mochi is another mochi eaten in spring. It's the traditional mochi for the Japanese public holiday girl's day on March 3rd. It consists of 3 layers of mochi in different colors and the shape is supposed to represent fertility.

7. Hanabira mochi

Hanabira mochi is usually eaten during the beginning of the new year. It's flat and it's supposed to resemble a flower petal. It is filled with red beans paste and a small piece of burdok root.

8. Bota mochi

Bota mochi is kind of like a reversed daifuku. While a Daifuku is usually filled with other ingredients like red bean paste, for bota mochi, the mochi is the filling packed with firm red beans paste.

9. Yatsuhashi mochi

Yatsuhashi mochi are traditional Japanese sweets from Kyoto. Yatsuhashi are triangle shaped and flat, they're baked with cinnamon which makes them very unique because cinnamon isn't a common ingredient for Japanese sweets. They're just like most other mochi filled with red bean paste.

10. Kuzu Mochi

Kuzu mochi are made from a special plant which gives them a white shade. The taste of Kuzu mochi is mildy sweet and neutral in taste so just like warabi mochi it's often served with either warm sweet syrup or kinako powder.

Do you love mochi and which one from this list is your favorite? Let us know in the comments!

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