JAPANESE GREEN TEA KUSA MOCHI (DESERT)

ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT:
- A pair of disposable plastic gloves
- 50-60s disposable muffin cup

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 packet of glutinous rice flour (600g, can find it in Chinese grocery shop)
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 45g grated sugar
- 2 tbsp green tea powder (can find it in Japanese/Chinese grocery shop, esp. for making monchi)
- 1 cup of red bean paste* see notes, or use ready made one in cans (can find it in Chinese grocery shop and keep it refrigerated)

PROCEDURES:

1. Weigh out 50g of the glutinous rice flour from the packet in a small bowl.

2. Steam the weighted flour in a wok for 20 minutes. When its done, carefully open the lid, try to avoid any water dripping onto the flour.

3. Dry fry (no oil) the "cooked" flour, from step 2. at low heat for approx. 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for later use (bear in mind not to let the flour turn brown while dry frying, as it will give a smokey taste).

STEP 2-3 ARE ESSENTIAL - FIRST WE NEED TO "COOK" THE FLOUR BY STEAMING IT, THEN DRY FRY IT TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS WATER.

4. In another big mixing bowl, pour in the remaining glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, evaporated milk, sugar, green tea powder. Mix it until smooth.

5. Boil the water in a wok and steam the mixture for 1 hour.

6. When its done, let it cool at room temperature for 3 hours.

7. While waiting, take out the red bean paste from the refrigerator. Scoop out about 50 balls of the red bean paste approx. 1cm in diameter onto a plate.

8. Now, put your gloves on. Otherwise the steamed glutinous rice flour will 'glue' to your fingers. Knead it for 100 times, then grab a ball of the mixture with diameter approx. 3cm with your right hand, spread/stretch out the ball on your left hand (to almost cover your palm). Place a ball of red bean paste that prepared previously at the middle of the stretched steamed flour mixture, then fold it to evenly wrap over the red bean paste.

9. Make into a ball, place it into the bowl of 'steamed/dry fried' glutinous flour and dust the mochi, ensure its covered with the flour on all sides.

10. Place into the disposable muffin cup and ready to serve. Taste best, if you let them to sit at cool place for at least 2-3 hours.

KEEP THE MOCHI AT COOL PLACE AND THE TEMPERATURE MUST NOT EXCEED 24C. IT WILL QUICKLY GO OFF IF MAKE IT IN HOT SUMMER DAYS DUE TO THE DAIRY INGREDIENTS.

*NOTES:

Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup dried red beans
- Water for boiling
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup oil for frying

- Raise the red beans and remove those that are damaged. Then place the beans in a small to medium-sized saucepan, cover with water and soak it overnight (this helps shorten the cooking time).
- On the next day, bring the beans and water to a boil. Let it Sim for 1.5-2 hours until the beans have softened, add more water if necessary.
-Drain and discard the water. Put the beans into a blender and process it until smooth.
- Remove from the blender, and stir in the sugar.
- Heat the oil in a wok. Fry the beans on medium-low heat for a few minutes until they form into thick paste. Press them gently with the back of a spatula to form a paste.
- Cool and ready to use. It can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer for approximately one week or 1 month, respectively.

ALTERNATE RECIPE - COCONUT MOCHI WITH MANGO PUREE

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 packet of glutinous rice flour (600g)
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- 1 can coconut milk
- 60g grated sugar (30g for the outside layer; 30g for the mango puree)
- 1 can of sliced mango
- 4-6 tbsp of corn flour
- little water

PROCEDURES:
Follow all the procedures above, that are same as making green tea mochi (note: 30g sugar is used for the steamed mixture instead of 45g that used in green tea mochi)

Making the mango purée
- with the mango purée , discard the juice from can. Finely chop half can of the sliced mango, and blend the remaining half can of mango in a food processor.
- Pour all the mango into a saucepan and heat at low heat, slowly blend in the sugar. Stir well until melt.
- Put the corn flour into a small bowl and mix with 3-4 tbsp of cold water, mix well.
- Then slowly pour into the mango puree. Let it cook until thicken (thick enough to allow you to place at the steamed glutinous flour-see step 8; note: would not be as thick as the red bean paste).
- Let it cool and ready to use.