Warabi mochi is super refreshing and perfect for a hot day!
ABOUT WARABI MOCHI わらび餅
Warabi mochi is probably one of the lesser known types of mochi globally. It’s different than other mochi in that it’s made using starch, giving it a more jelly-like texture rather than firm and really chewy. The texture can be quite soft and bouncy while maintaining chewiness. Additionally, the flavor of the mochi mostly comes from the topping it gets coated in. In fact, the warabi mochi by itself has almost no flavor. It is popularly served with kinako, roasted soybean powder, and kuromitsu, black syrup, giving the dish a sweet and nutty flavor! This dessert is so refreshing and definitely my favorite! I hope you give it a try! 🫶
INGREDIENTS (+ SUBSTITUTIONS)
This is a basic list and explanation of the key ingredients. For full list and measurements, please scroll down to the recipe below!
- ☆ Potato starch
- Traditionally, warabi mochi is made with warabi/bracken starch, but it’s quite hard to find. An easy substitute that a lot of people have at home is potato starch! You can also use warabi mochiko, which you may be able to find in some Japanese grocery stores. These starches are often made from arrowroot or sweet potato. Whatever starch you use doesn’t really affect the final product as most of the taste comes from the topping. I like to use potato starch because the warabi mochi ends up clear, but this is a purely aesthetic choice.
- ☆ Granulated sugar
- To add sweetness to the warabi mochi.
- ☆ Kinako
- Toasted soybean powder. It’s used to coat the warabi mochi, giving it a nice roasted, nutty taste.
- ☆ Kuromitsu
- Japanese black sugar syrup. You can typically buy this in stores, but you can also make it at home by melting dark brown sugar or black sugar with water in a 1:1 ratio. Cook it until fully dissolved and starting to thicken.
TIPS FOR MAKING WARABI MOCHI わらび餅
- ☆ If you use warabi mochiko instead, it may not become completely clear, so keep that in mind. I’ve only made this using potato starch and a warabi mochiko made from arrowroot starch, and the arrowroot starch one did not become completely clear. Either way, they taste great, but if you have an aesthetic plan for these in mind, just remember this!
- ☆ If you use a piping bag to squeeze out the shapes like I did, please be careful as the mochi is very hot! You can use a thick glove or fold paper towel to protect your hand from the heat.
- ☆ If the kinako is not sweet enough for you, you can mix together equal parts of kinako and sugar then use that to coat the mochi. This is also a good way to prepare the warabi mochi if you do not have kuromitsu.
MORE WAGASHI/JAPANESE SWEETS RECIPES! ♡
If you recreate this Warabi Mochi recipe, please let me know by tagging me or leaving a comment on Instagram @maruryouri or TikTok @atsuryouri. I’d love to see your creations and hear your feedback!
Warabi Mochi
Ingredients
- 50 g potato starch
- 30 g granulated sugar
- 250 ml water
- Kinako
- Kuromitsu
Instructions
- In a pot, mix the katakuriko and sugar together. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon until dissolved.
- At this point, turn on the stove to medium heat then mix while boiling. When the mochi becomes translucent, lower the heat and keep kneading with the wooden spatula until it becomes more transparent. Please note that some starches won’t become fully transparent.
- When all of it becomes evenly transparent, place the mochi into a piping bag and pipe it out into ice water using a knife, scissors, or your fingers to cut the mochi shapes. Alternatively, you can transfer it to a flat container with a little water, and place the container in a larger container filled with ice water to cool it down.
- After about 15 minutes the mochi should be cool and you can drain the water. If you transferred the mochi to a container, cut it into bite size pieces. Plate the warabi mochi, topping it with kuromitsu and kinako, and the warabi mochi is done! 完成です！