Matcha Red Bean Coconut Mochi (糯米糍)

This week’s recipe is this easy matcha red bean mochi! It’s a Chinese-style sticky rice dessert coated in dessicated coconut that can be made in 15 minutes. Traditionally, this mochi (known as 糯米糍 or nùo mǐ cí in Mandarin) can have a variety of fillings. Peanut is the most common, but you’ll also see black sesame, red bean, or even mango!

Before we get into the recipe, be sure to Pin this image on Pinterest so you have it saved for later:

Side note: These are my first photos with my new DIY photography backdrops! I think they turned out pretty well. 🙂 Let me know what you think in the comments below! I’m still new to this, so any tips are welcome.

Glutinous rice flour, aka sticky rice flour or sweet rice flour, is a common ingredient in Chinese desserts and snacks! It’s gluten-free and vegan, and also chewy, delicious, and fun to eat. You’ll also find it in recipes for nian gao (Chinese New Year Sticky Cake) or xian shui jiao (Sticky Fried Dumpling dim sum).

Recipe Notes

Here’s some helpful tips to ace this matcha red bean mochi recipe:

First and foremost, mochi dough is sticky! (Hence the name sticky rice flour.) To shape it successfully, you need to prevent it from sticking to your hands and your work surface. Some recipes suggest dusting your fingers with potato starch to achieve this. However, I found that it wasn’t so helpful — in fact, I ended up making a bit of a mess.

The solution: keeping your hands and fingertips wet. The water provides a slippery barrier between your fingers and the mochi dough. Make sure to give it a good pinch to ensure the filling is sealed inside.

If you’re not a fan of coconut, you can also choose to dust/roll the filled mochi with potato starch. This style is more similar to Japanese-style mochi.

Overall, it’s a pretty quick and easy recipe! If you have any questions, suggestions, or photos of your own creations, leave me a comment below or tag me on social media @houbakes. <3

Matcha Red Bean Coconut Mochi

Recipe by Sophia HouCourse: DessertCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

14

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

This easy mochi recipe can be whipped together in 15 minutes.
If you try it, share & tag me on social media @houbakes!

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp matcha powder

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour (aka sweet rice flour)

• 1 cup water

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup potato starch or cornstarch, for dusting

• 1 cup red bean paste

• 1 cup coconut flakes, for rolling

• additional water, to prevent sticking

• 14 mini muffin liners, optional

Directions

• Combine matcha powder and glutinous rice flour in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add water, and mix until smooth.
• Gradually add sugar and mix until there are no more lumps.
• Microwave 3 minutes.
• While it’s cooking: Prepare 14 mini muffin liners and set aside. Prepare 1 small bowl with coconut for rolling. Prepare another small bowl with about 1 cup water (for keeping your fingertips wet).
• Remove dough from microwave, then stir vigorously with a fork. Microwave another 20 seconds.
• Roll red bean paste into 14 balls 2-3 cm in diameter and set aside.
• Dust your work surface (e.g. cutting board, Silpat, cookie sheet) with starch. Use a spatula to scrape dough out onto the work surface. Divide into 14 equal pieces.
• Wet your fingertips before handling dough to prevent it from sticking to your hands. Flatten one piece into a thick disc. Place a ball of filling into the center of the disc. Wrap the dough around the filling and pinch the edges together to seal.
• Roll in coconut to coat and place in a mini muffin liner, smooth side up.
• Store at room temperature for up to 24h, or refrigerate for up to a week. They can be enjoyed cold or heated in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.