☆MOCHITUKI☆

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Hello, everyone!!
Today, I’d like to introduce “MOCHITUKI” to you!!

Do you know “MOCHITUKI”!?
I’m sure that you know “rice cakes”!!
“MOCHI” means “rice cake” in Japanese!!
And “MOCHITUKI” is making rice cakes!!
Before coming new year, my family held "MOCHITUKI" to eat rice cakes at New Year's!!

Then, I’ll introduce about rice cakes.
In Japan, there is a custom which is eating rice cakes.
It has been believed that there are gods in rice cakes, so we eat them on special days such as New Year’s Day, seasonal festival, birthday and so on.

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Now, I’m going to introduce you how to make rice cakes!!
(1)First, we use glutinous rice, called “mochi-gome”(もち米), wash it very much, and it immerses in water for one night.
(2)Next day, we wash glutinous rice again, and steam it with steamer about 20 minutes.
(3)Well, pound rice in a mortar, and pound with a pestle!!
＊“Mortar” is called “うす”(usu), and “pestle” is called “きね”(kine) in Japanese.
(4)Then, we crush and mash the rice with a pestle.
(5)Now, we need two people!! One is pounding, the other is turning over.
We call it “合いの手”(Ainote).
It needs a uniform pace and good timing, and also each other’s confidence.
They have to pay attention to each other not to pound!!
And we must pound rice cakes evenly and quickly!!
FINISH!!

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－NOSHIMOCHI－
Now, we are making “Noshi-mochi”(のしもち)!!
It means flat rectangular rice cakes!!
First, we put rice cakes in bags.
Then, we roll rice cakes levelly and rectangular!!
FINISH!!
When we eat “NOSHIMOCHI”, we cut them!!
We usually put them in “OZONI”(お雑煮)!!

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－KAGAMIMOCHI－



Next, I’m going to introduce “KAGAMIMOCHI”!!
First, we dust “mochitoriko” like a starch on rice cakes!!
And roll rice cakes into a ball!!
We make two rice cakes, small one & big one each!!
Then, we put big one down, and put small one on the big one!!
Now, it finish!!
KAGAMIMOCHI are offerings to the gods.
It is believed that eating them has the power to make people healthy and happy in the coming year.
KAGAMIMOCHI are very hard after being displayed for more than ten days following New Year's Day.
It is extremely unlucky to cut KAGAMIMOCHI with a knife so people break it into smaller pieces by hand or with a hammer.
We eat KAGAMIMOCHI on January 11.
It's called KAGAMIBIRAKI!!
A popular way of enjoying KAGAMIMOCHI is add them to traditional soup dishes!!

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A popular way of eating rice cakes!!
－SEASONING－



＊KINAKO＊
“KINAKO” is made of soybeans and sugar!!
It’s called “soybean flour” in English.



＊ANKO＊
“ANKO” is made of adzuki beans and sugar.
It’s called “bean jam” in English.

＊KUROGOMA＊
“KUROGOMA” is black sesame!!
We grind black sesame and mix some sugar into them!!
We crumble rice cakes and put these tastes on rice cakes!!

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Have you ever eaten rice cakes!?
They are very very delicious!!
Why don’t you try “MOCHITUKI” and “MOCHI”!?

See you!!

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