Soft delicate mochi balls filled with sweet adzuki or red bean paste make a delicious dessert or snack. The recipe for these red bean mochi balls also include sugar-free options.
Prep Time3 hourshrs30 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Total Time5 hourshrs
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Keyword: mochi, red bean mochi
Servings: 12mochi balls
Author: Teenuja Dahari - veganlovlie.com
Ingredients
Red Bean Paste Filling* (see notes)
100gred beans or adzuki beansdry [1/2 cup]
70ggolden or turbinado sugar**[1/3 cup] or more, if you'd like it sweeter, see notes for sugar-free option
45mlcanned coconut milkor water [3 tablespoons]
1/2teaspoon vanilla extract[2.5 ml]
Water for soaking and boiling
Mochi Wrapper
225gmochiko or glutinous/sweet rice flour[1 1/2 cup] ****see notes for options
120mlcanned coconut milk[1/2 cup]
60mlwater[1/4 cup]
60mlmaple syrup***[1/4 cup] see notes for substitutes/sugar-free option
5mlvanilla extractoptional [1 teaspoon]
Cornstarch
Instructions
For the red bean filling:
Soak the red beans in plenty of water for at least 2-3 hours or better overnight. Rinse and drain.
Place the beans in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover the beans by about an inch. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and let cook partially covered.
Keep an eye on the pot and add about 1/2 cup of water when the water boils down, to keep the beans submerged.
After about an hour, test a bean by mashing it with a spoon or your fingers. If it just splits in halves, it's not ready yet. So keep cooking until it mashes easily.
Turn off the heat and drain the beans (you may keep the water to use as aquafaba, although you'd only be able to use it in recipes where the red colour won't matter).
Let the beans cool a little before adding them to a food processor with the sugar and process on high until smooth.
I used a hand/immersion blender to do this. You may also use a fork to mash the beans and mix them with the sugar if you don't have a food processor or blender.
Add the bean mash to the pot with the coconut milk or water and vanilla extract.
Cook while stirring until a thick dough-like mouldable paste is formed.
If the mixture is too sticky while stirring, you may add a tablespoon of coconut oil and use a silicon spatula for stirring.
Once you feel that the mixture will hold its shape when made into balls, turn off the heat.
Let the paste cool a little.
Take about 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll into a ball.
Do this for the rest. Keep the balls aside on a plate. Refrigerate them while you make the mochi wrappers.
You may also freeze the red bean balls for later use.
For the mochi wrappers:
I recommend using a non-stick saucepan.
Place the mochiko, coconut milk, water, maple syrup or other sweetener and vanilla in a pot.
Mix well and then turn the heat on to low-medium.
Constantly stir (preferably with a silicon spatula) and continue cooking.
Once the mixture thickens into a big blob of dough, keep on cooking while turning the dough in the pan for about 8 - 10 more minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Make the mochi balls:
You will need to work quickly with the dough while it is still warm as it will be more malleable and easier to shape.
Place about 2 - 3 tablespoons of cornstarch onto the work surface or small plate.
Place a heaped tablespoon of the mochi mixture onto the cornstarch.
Dip your fingers in some cornstarch and flatten the mochi into a circular disc.
Place one ball of red bean filling in the centre.
Pinch the mochi dough and wrap it all around the filling to completely enclose it.
Roll the mochi lightly between your palms to even out the mochi wrapper all around.
Place the mochi on a plate floured with some cornstarch.
Make the rest of the mochi until all the wrapper is used up.
Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Enjoy them cold or at room temperature.
Notes
*Ready-made sweet red bean paste filling is available at most Asian grocery stores (in the refrigerated or freezer section). It's also available in cans. You may want to use this if you want to save time.**Substitute with 1/3+ teaspoon stevia powder for sugar-free option.***If you don't have maple syrup, you may substitute with a simple sugar syrup or 3 tablespoons sugar + 2 tablespoons water. To make it sugar free, use less than 1/4 teaspoon stevia powder + 2 tablespoons waterFind these ingredients online: Adzuki beans - https://amzn.to/2IVy3Vx Mochiko (glutinous rice flour) - https://amzn.to/2xgO46Q****the Koda Farms brand is the best that I've used so far, taste-wise and texture-wiseStevia powder - https://amzn.to/2KZ4pPFRecipe by Teenuja Dahari - Veganlovlie - https://veganlovlie.com/red-bean-mochi-recipe