Ingredients
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For Making the Azuki Paste and Stuffed Balls
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20 oz Azuki Beans
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1.5 qts Water
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Soaked Beans
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2 qts Water
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1 tsp Salt
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3 cups Water
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8 oz Sugar
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30 Small Strawberries
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For Making the Rice Dough and Wrapping
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20 oz
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11 oz Mochiko Powder
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11 oz Sugar
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11 oz Cornstarch
Directions
This is an adaptation of the very common mochi sweets found throughout Japan. Mochi is commonly wrapped around a sweet adzuki bean paste; in this recipe, strawberries are included in the very center.
Steps
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1
Done
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Combine the azuki beans and the 1.5 qts of water, and soak overnight (or for 1 day). |
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2
Done
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Drain the water from the soaking azuki beans, rinse them, and combine the azuki beans with the 2 qts of water and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stove. |
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3
Done
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Once the beans come to a boil, turn the flame down and allow the beans to cook gently over lower heat until they just begin to get soft throughout (about 40 minutes). |
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4
Done
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Once the beans are soft throughout, pour off any liquid still remaining in the pot, and add the 3 cups of water and the sugar. Return to heat and cook until the beans are very tender, paying attention to ensure that the pot does not go dry during this process. |
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5
Done
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Once the beans are very tender, take them off of the heat and mash them using a wooden spoon or a potato masher (at this point, a couple different styles of balls can be made: a more refined one, in which the beans are passed through a sieve, or a more rustic one, in which the tougher exterior of the beans is left in the paste). |
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6
Done
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If you are making the smoother paste, pass the mashed beans through a fine sieve; if not, proceed to the next step. |
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7
Done
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Return the bean purée to the pot, and cook out any remaining moisture until the beans become quite thick and form a smooth paste. |
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8
Done
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Set the bean purée aside and cover it with a damp cloth; allow the bean purée to cool. |
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9
Done
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Once the purée has cooled, divide it into 30 pieces. After flattening them with your hand, place a strawberry in the center of each and form the bean purée around each strawberry (or piece of strawberry). |
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10
Done
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Once completed, set all of the bean and strawberry balls aside until the dough is ready (keep them covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out). |
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11
Done
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For Making the Rice Dough and WrappingIn a small pot, bring the water to a boil and then stir in the rice flour (mochiko flour); mix continuously with a wooden spoon to make a smooth, thick dough (approximately 2–4 minutes). As the mixture thickens, lower the heat to prevent burning the bottom. |
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12
Done
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Once the flour and water have thickened, begin to add the sugar (while stirring constantly over a low flame—it will take some effort to work in the sugar). |
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13
Done
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Continue to add the sugar slowly until all of it has combined completely with the dough (it will get gluey and pull away from the pan, somewhat like making choux paste). |
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14
Done
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Once all of the sugar has been added, remove the pan from the heat and bring it to the work area. |
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15
Done
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Place a sheet pan or half sheet pan in the work area and coat it with the cornstarch. |
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16
Done
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Pour the rice dough out onto the sheet pan, on top of the cornstarch, and press the dough out until it is ¼ inch thick. |
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17
Done
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Once the dough has been flattened to ¼ inch, cut out circular pieces (approximately three inches in diameter you can use a dough cutter or pastry mold to do this). With the surface still coated in cornstarch, place a ball of the azuki paste wrapped around the strawberry in the center of the dough, and pull/pinch the dough up to the top of the ball; seal by pinching the |
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18
Done
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You will end up with an ichigo daifuku ball that has one slightly rough-looking end (where you pinched it together); roll it using lightly coated (and clean!) cornstarch hands, and place it sealed side down on a tray. |
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19
Done
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Continue steps 7 and 8 until all of the azuki balls have been wrapped; once cooled, enjoy! |
