Red Bean Mochi

My kids love red bean filling because they have been eating it in rice balls, mochi and moon cakes since they were little.  I think it may be an acquired taste.  This is a fairly simple recipe for making mochi with red bean filling.  You can also just make the dough part and eat the mochi plain.

I like to use Eden brand beans because they are readily available at my local grocery.  For some reason they call these "Aduki Beans" which looks like a typo to me.  I have also seen these beans called azuki beans.  Whatever.  I'm pretty sure we are all talking about the same beans!

Red Bean Mochi
Adapted from Bakingdom
Makes 12

Filling
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
14 oz can Adzuki beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of salt

In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar over med-high heat until boiling and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour into small heat-proof bowl; set aside.

Add the adzuki beans to the empty saucepan and mash well with a fork. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar syrup and the oil. Return the saucepan to medium heat and stir beans until thick and glossy. More of the sugar syrup can be added for extra sweetness.  If you like your filling very smooth, you can let it cool and then put it through a blender or food processor.

1 1/2 cups glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice flour) (despite the name it is gluten-free)
1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cups water
1/2 cup cornstarch

Combine the glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water in a medium-size microwave safe bowl. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture well until no lumps remain.Scrape down the sides of the bowl so the sides are clean.

Lightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and stir well. Dough will very thick! Stir as best you can with a sturdy spatula. Re-cover and return to microwave for 1 minute.

When dough begins to inflate while cooking, and then deflates with the microwave door is opened it's ready! If dough doesn’t inflate during the previous one minute of cooking time, microwave for 1 additional minute.

Remove the bowl from the microwave. Sprinkle a cutting board with half the cornstarch; scrape the hot dough onto the cornstarch and then pat the surface with cornstarch-coated hands. Stretch dough gently and use your hands to flatten it into a rectangle. Cut into 10-12 pieces. Place 1-2 tsp. of filling on each piece of mochi and gently pinch the edges together to seal. Place sealed edge down on a plate and form into a flattish round shape.

These are best eaten on the day you make them, otherwise wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.