By Request

By Kekoa Catherine Enomoto

Wednesday, April 29, 1998

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Peach, pina colada, strawberry and passion fruit
make up a rainbow of flavored microwave mochi.

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Mad about mochi

Readers constantly seek new flavor
variations on the sticky rice-flour treat

'THIS is the mochi my mommy makes," said 6-year-old Ross Endow of his mother, Iris Endow. "My mommy is famous for this."

Waialua homemaker Iris Endow said she will make mochi for Ross and his 8-year-old brother Scott on Tuesday, which marks Children's Day and Boys Day, celebrated in Hawaii and Japan.

"I'm a Martha Stewart wannabe, Waialua version," said Endow, who added that the most popular mochi flavors are peach and coconut.

For her colorful mochi gems, Endow developed a microwave mochi recipe using 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons of flavored extracts and 3 or 4 drops of food coloring.

She's a distributor for Watkins, which offers 25 extracts, from banana, cherry and raspberry, to caramel, butter pecan and vanilla nut. For a list of flavorings, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Endow at P.O. Box 1192, Waialua, Hawaii 96791; for a 40-page Watkins catalog, send a self-addressed, 9-by-4-inch envelope with $1.01 postage.

By Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Iris Endow and her colored, flavored Mochi.

Endow shared two Children's Day mochi recipes for Lois and other readers who make mochi variations some of our most requested recipes.

Web fans can check recent mochi recipes featured in By Request: custard poi mochi, March 27, 1996; pumpkin mochi, Dec. 11, 1996; purple sweet potato mochi, Nov. 19, 1997; 7-Up mochi and coffee mochi, Feb. 18, 1998. See http://starbulletin.com or check back issues of the Star-Bulletin at the state library.

Microwave mochi

2 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour)
2-1/3 cups sugar
2 cups water
1-1/2 teaspoons flavored extract, such as cinnamon or lemon (see note)
3 or 4 drops food coloring
Katakuriko (potato starch flour) to coat mochi

Combine all ingredients except katakuriko; mix well. Pour mixture into 3-quart microwaveable pan, sprayed with Pam for 5 seconds. Cover and microwave 10 to 12 minutes, or until mochi has a dry surface and transparent appearance.

Remove cover and tilt container to drain excess liquid formed by steam. Use paper towel to absorb as much liquid as possible; otherwise, liquid will harden katakuriko.

Turn cooked mochi onto a large platter or a wood cutting board dusted well with katakuriko. Dust mochi with more katakuriko.

Use a nonserrated plastic knife (those from McDonald's work well) to cut mochi into bite-size pieces. Coat all sides with katakuriko. Makes 40 pieces.

Cool mochi completely and store in a loose-lidded container for 2 or 3 days in warm weather, and up to 5 days in cool weather. Or freeze in an airtight container.

Note: For pina colada-flavored mochi, add 1 teaspoon EACH coconut and pineapple extracts.

Cooking times may vary with differing cookware and microwave ovens.

Approximate nutritional analysis per piece: 80 calories, 0.5 gram total fat, no saturated fat, no cholesterol, no sodium.*

Creme mochi

2 cups mochiko
2-1/3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup canned coconut milk or undiluted evaporated milk
1-1/2 teaspoons extract, such as almond or white vanilla
3 or 4 drops food coloring, if desired

Follow instructions above, except microwave 1 to 2 minutes longer. Makes 40 pieces.

Approximate nutritional analysis per piece using coconut milk: 85 calories, 1.5 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium. Per piece using lite coconut milk (with less than 1 gram fat per tablespoon, such as Thai Agra brand): 80 calories, 0.5 gram total fat, 0.5 gram saturated fat, no cholesterol, 5 milligrams sodium. Per piece with evaporated milk: 85 calories, 1 gram total fat, 0.5 gram saturated fat, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 10 milligrams sodium.*

Send queries along with name and phone number to:
By Request, Honolulu Star-Bulletin Food Section,
P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com

Asterisk (*) after nutritional analyses in the Body & Soul section indicates calculations by Joannie Dobbs of Exploring New Concepts, a nutritional consulting firm.