By Request

By Betty Shimabukuro

Wednesday, July 28, 1999

By Craig T. Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Teresa DeVergilio-Lam and her daughters, from left, Alexis,
Ashlyn and Gabrielle. Below are some treats prepared with
a few of the many recipes in DeVergilio-Lam's
mochi cookbook.

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More mochi to chew on

Three babies and a cookbook. When Teresa DeVirgilio-Lam gave birth 2-1/2 years ago, that's what she got. The babies -- triplets, three little girls -- are Gabrielle, Ashlyn and Alexis. The cookbook -- born during three months of bed rest at the end of the pregnancy -- is "Unbearably Good! Mochi Lovers' Cookbook," Morris Press, 1999, $7.95)

DeVirgilio-Lam has been collecting mochi recipes since childhood. It's a passion she apparently shares with many in Hawaii. Her book has been selling 1,100 copies a month since April. It's available at Borders Books and Music and Native Books & Beautiful Things.

"I never thought it would take off like this," she says.

From the cookbook come recipes for Charlyne Kam, who says she's been "desperately searching" for a butter mochi recipe, and Hazel Murakami, who wants to make chocolate mochi.

The cookbook includes several recipes for each of those mochi varieties. DeVirgilio-Lam recommends the Cocoa Mochi contributed by her friend, Bertha Newsome, and the Butter Mochi recipe of her sister, Mary Lou Nash. Also included here is an alternate Chocolate Mochi, also from Nash, for those who would rather have it without coconut.

The cookbook includes a tremendous variety of mochis, reflecting not just the Japanese approach, but also Filipino Babingka, Chinese Gao, Indian Rice Pudding, Thai Coconut Cake, Indonesian Rice Balls, Korean Ju-Ak, Okinawan Purple Potato Mochi, Hawaiian Poi Mochi and lots, lots more. It runs alphabetically, from Age Mochi (plain mochiko with water, sugar and salt) to Zenzai (mochi balls dipped in azuki beans).

Cocoa Mochi

2 cups mochiko
1-3/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten
12-ounce can evaporated milk
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift together mochiko, sugar, cocoa and baking soda. Add eggs, milk, butter and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour into a greased and floured 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Chocolate Mochi

1 cup mochiko
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 12-ounce cans evaporated milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla

Sift together mochiko, sugar and baking soda. Melt butter with the chocolate chips. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl.

Add chocolate to the milk mixture and stir. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Pour into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool before slicing.

Butter Mochi

1 pound mochiko
2-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups milk
5 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 cup shredded coconut

Combine mochiko, sugar and baking powder. Add milk, eggs, vanilla, butter and coconut to dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a greased 9-by-13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool before slicing.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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.