I am using canned azuki beans but you can use the dried variety, just be aware that the cooking time will increase since you need to cook the beans first or you can leave it overnight to soak (it will still need to be cooked but will take less time). You can get canned azuki beans in any supermarket.
For food colourings using natural ones are the best. I normally have matcha tea at home so that’s what I’ll be using. For Ichigo Daifuku, leave the colour out.
Please be careful when adding sugar and salt as I tend to eyeball these. I don’t like things too sweet so adjust to your taste.
Daifuku + Ichigo Daifuku Recipe
Ingredients
For Mochi:
1 cup glutinous rice flour
¾ cup warm water
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
Food colouring: none or
Green - matcha paste (1/2 tsp matcha powder + 1tbsp hot water)
Corn / potato starch for dusting
For Anko:
1 can of azuki bean
¼-½ cup brown sugar
pinch of salt
½ tsp pure vanilla extract (opt)
For Ichigo daifuku:
8 small strawberries.
Method
Drain the beans and place them in a saucepan. Cook in high heat until the beans are dry.
Add the sugar and stir. They will start to get mushy & bubbly (10-15mins). Lower the heat and add salt and vanilla extract (opt). Keep stirring and mash any lumpy bits do not let it burn!
Leave it to cool. You can process it if you want it smoother. Now it’s ready for use with the mochi! If not firm enough leave it in the fridge to stiffen up.
In a microwavable bowl add the rice flour.
In a separate small bowl add the water, sugar and the matcha paste (or your choice of natural food colour). Mix well.
Transfer the water mix to the microwavable bowl. Mix well, no lumpy bits! Cover with a plastic wrap leaving a small edge open to let the steam out. Microwave for 3mins. Stir the mixture. Microwave for another 1 min.
Once done, knead the mochi using a spoon/fork for about 1-2 mins, be careful as it is hot.
Transfer the mochi to a board well dusted with corn / potato starch (you can also use a meat tenderiser to pound the mochi). Cut the mochi in half then further divide to get 8 equal pieces.
Make sure the mochi is well covered in starch as it gets really sticky. Flatten out the mochi, roll about 1 tbsp of anko paste, place in the middle of the mochi and close. Do not over fill or it will be difficult to close the mochi. You will need to pinch to seal the edges.
For ichigo daifuku: cover a strawberry with anko then cover it with flattened mochi.
Tips:
1)
The more you knead/pound the mochi the softer &
elastic it will be.
2) Use tiny amount of food
colouring or the colour will be too strong.
