Baked Mochi
Every time my mom and dad would go to Pampanga ( a province in the north), my kids would ask them to bring them mochi. It’s a popular dessert in the province made from glutinous rice, red beans and coconut milk. I had to ask my aunt for the recipe because I wanted to try making them on my own. Here it is.
For the mochi, you will need:
- 1 kg glutinous/sticky rice
- 1/4 kg dried red kidney beans
- 1 kg granulated sugar
- grated dry coconut meat from 2 medium-sized coconuts
- previously boiled hot water
1) Soak the red kidney beans in water for five hours, then discard the water.
2) In a pot filled with water, boil the beans for about an hour. Discard the water again.
3) Return the beans to the pot and add water, then add half of the sugar. Boil for another hour or longer, or until beans become mushy.
3) Using a masher or a fork, mash the beans finely, then set aside.
For the mochi:
1) Soak glutinous rice in water overnight. Discard the rice water, then ground (ground glutinous rice can be bought in most wet markets or groceries).
2) Knead the rice dough into a long, thin roll, then cut into three-inch pieces.
Flatten each piece into rectangles, spoon in some filling, then roll. Seal the edges by crimping the dough closed on both ends of the roll. Arrange the rolls in a ceramic baking pan.
3) Soak the grated coconut meat in about five cups of hot water for a few minutes, then squeeze out the cream. Sieve the meat and set the coconut cream aside. This is the first extraction.
4) Repeat the process, this time using a fresh batch of hot water, about six to eight cups. This is the second extraction. Dissolve the remaining sugar, or adjust depending on how sweet you want it, in this cream.
5) Pour the coconut cream from the second extraction onto the prepared mochi rolls. Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake on high for about 15-20 minutes. During the last five minutes of baking, uncover the pan, and pour in the coconut cream from the first extraction.
