Kamis, 31 Desember 2009

Japanese Mochi (sweet rice) Cakes for New Year’s



Photo: Mochi (Sweet Rice) Blondie

In looking through notes I took years ago on special occasion foods, I came across an interesting Japanese tradition. Japanese Americans make mochi (sweet rice) cakes for New Year’s. The rice made me think about the historical links in which Asian traders introduced new species of rice to Africa long before the start of the African slave trade. As mentioned in earlier post, for U.S. Southerners, especially Carolinians, there is no New Year’s celebration without rice based hoppin John (and rice pudding). Likewise Mochi cakes, made from layers of sweet rice steamed and shaped into cakes and seasoned, sometimes with coconut, represents the yearly culinary high point for Japanese Americans.



Sweet Rice-Flour and Coconut Mochi Cake Recipe (and many other mochi recipes):

http://www.grouprecipes.com/sr/14086/mochi-cake/recipe/


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