Warabi Mochi is a cool and smooth Mochi-like dessert, typically with Kinako (powdered soy bean) and sugar. The refreshing look of translucent/transparent Warabi Mochi and the cold sensation of it going down your throat have been enjoyed by people for a thousand years during Japan’s hot and humid summer.
Warabi is a fern-like wild vegetable called Bracken. Warabi starch is extracted from Warabi roots. It requires a time-consuming process to yield even a small amount of starch, and therefore, there is much less farming for pure Warabi starch in Japan today. In the ingredients of widely available Warabi starch in markets now, you will often find sweet potato or tapioca starch unfortunately, instead of real Warabi starch.
Warabi Mochi is an old and traditional Japanese sweet, but it is a rather casual dessert. It can be found at fancier Japanese sweet shops in summer, but also available all year around at supermarkets. Because Warabi Mochi itself doesn’t have enough sweetness, sweet toppings are a crucial part of this dessert. Warabi Mochi pieces are often completely covered with sweet Kinako powder which has a wonderful nutty flavor, but sometimes they are served with Kuromitsu, dark brown sugar sauce similar to molasses, or even both.
Even though it is called Mochi, Warabi Mochi is pretty light, not as heavy as rice-based Mochi. It is such a great dessert in summer. If you can find the Warabi starch, try this cool treat!
Warabi Mochi Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Kinako soy bean powder
- 3 Tbsp sugar
- 100 g Warabi Mochi starch
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 400 ml water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix Kinako and 3 Tbsp sugar together. In a large bowl, get ice water ready. Set aside.
- In a different bowl, mix Warabi Mochi starch and 1 Tbsp sugar. Combine Warabi Mochi flour mixture and water in a pot, and cook at high heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture starts getting lumpy, turn down the heat to medium, and continue cooking and stirring until it becomes very viscous. Remove from heat.
- Immediately scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of the Warabi “batter” and drop into ice water. Repeat until all the batter is gone. Let cool for a couple of minutes in ice water.
- Strain water well, and put the pieces of mochi on a plate. Generously sprinkle Kinako mixture over Warabi Mochi.
