For many of us, summer means lots of outdoor activities, ice-cream, and camping. Camping is definitely my absolute favourite summer activity because you get to spend time in the woods, undisturbed by modern civilization. Camping allows me to relax and enjoy the raw beauty of nature. Despite me pretty much guaranteed to get at least a dozen mosquito bites (mosquitoes really love me, but the love is unfortunately not mutual), or me getting zapped by one of those jellyfish tentacles frolicking in the ocean, camping is always an adventure and I’m definitely an adventure kind of girl.
The campfires are one of my favourite activities to do while camping. Don’t get me wrong; I love all the hiking, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and foraging, but nothing beats the feeling I get whenever I’m around a campfire with the company I’m with. The songs, the laughter, the fire crackling against the chilly summer air… I can never get enough.
Of course, a campfire isn’t really a campfire unless there is hot chocolate and s’mores. I realize that s’mores are finger-licking good, and that there really isn’t a substitute for this sweet camping classic; however, for those of you who are vegetarian, vegan, diabetic, or is just a health nut, japanese mochi is your alternative to sugar-laden marshmallows! Yes, you could always spend the extra dollar to buy “vegan marshmallows” or “sugar-free marshmallows” in the aisles of your favourite grocery store, but if you like the texture of marshmallows or rice cakes in general, you should really give this recipe a try. Japanese mochi is a naturally gluten-free japanese confection made with glutenous rice flour, minimal sugar, and water. It is soft as a pillow and chewy as a marshmallow. Of course, japanese mochi is nowhere identical to its marshmallow counterpart, but it is equally delicious in its own unique way!
Japanese mochi isn’t meant to be a health food and that’s alright (because “everything in moderation” is key), but I’ve tweaked the traditional mochi recipe and used ingredients like stevia leaf powder to replace sugar that is normally used in this japanese confection, making this recipe totally suitable for anyone watching their sugar intake. Despite it being 200 times sweeter than sugar, the leaves of the stevia plant actually helps control blood sugar, blood pressure, as well as cholesterol levels; maybe this plant is mother nature’s way of giving us something naturally sweet! You can purchase stevia leaf powder in health food stores, and even some grocery stores. Being a plant, stevia is fairly economical for the wallet, as one little packet can last longer than the large sugar packets. However, be aware that this sweetener is called “stevia leaf powder“, and its pure form should be green; many grocery stores and even drug stores these days sell products like “Truvia” or “Stevia in the Raw”, which contain ingredients like dextrose and erythritol. Other than the fact that these ingredients do not sound natural whatsoever, these supposedly naturally-occurring sugars are derived from genetically engineered corn instead of the natural stuff.
As noted in our previous post, Kiss Me Organics are been kind enough to offer us a sample of their product for us to review. I put their matcha powder to the test and used their matcha green tea powder specifically for this recipe; however, you can use any brand (preferably organic!) to yield similar results. You can order Kiss Me Organics’ Matcha Green Tea Powder off amazon with the link provided if none is available in your area.
Assuming you are still contemplating whether you should give this recipe a go, my family has just ordered me to make them another batch! Happy camping!
- FOR THE FILLING
- 1 c. black sesame seeds, grinded
- 4 tbsp. maple syrup
- 2 tbsp. water
- FOR THE MOCHI
- 1 c. glutinous rice flour
- 1 tsp. stevia leaf powder*
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tbsp. Kiss Me Organics matcha green tea powder
- 1 c. freshly brewed green tea (1 tsp. matcha green tea powder + 1 c. water)
- Cornstarch, for dusting
- For the filling, measure the black sesame seeds, maple syrup, water in a small bowl and mix until incorporated.
- Put it in the fridge to chill while you prepare the mochi.
- For the mochi, measure and combine the dry ingredients in a medium microwave-safe glass bowl.
- Add in the brewed green tea, and mix until there are little or no lumps.
- Put the bowl in the microwave on high for 1 minute 15 seconds. If your microwave has a lower frequency, you may have to add a few seconds for the mochi to firm up and solidify.
- When you take out the bowl out of the microwave, you should see that most of the mochi has been solidified, leaving a little puddle of uncooked mixture sitting in the middle. Using a spoon, just mix the uncooked mixture with the sticky mochi. The remaining heat will cook it through.
- Dust your working surface and your hands generously with cornstarch, as the mixture is very sticky. If your hands allow, you can work with the mochi immediately. If not, you can stick the mochi in the freezer for a quick cool down before moving on to the next step.
- Put mochi onto your dusted surface and flatten with your hands until thin, around 3-5mm. You can use a rolling pin dusted with cornstarch if you desire, but it isn't necessary. I like my mochi to have a very thin skin (2-3mm) and a whole lot of filling, but it would be harder to work with.
- Cut your flattened mochi into approximate 5cm by 5 cm squares, or adjust size to your preference.
- Taking out your prepare filling out of the fridge, scoop in 1 tbsp. of filling into each mochi.
- Wrap the mochi around the filling until you form a uniform ball.
- Place them into mini muffin liners or a container.
- Continue until all mochi is complete!
- Store in the fridge, covered for up to 3-4 days.
Thank you for this recipe. I love mochis especially the black sesame ones, but store-bought ones are very high in sugar!
You’re very welcome, Hapee! Glad we were able to provide you with a lower sugar alternative!
Oh my gosh I love mochi! Didn’t know you could make a healthier one with less sugar. I’d love to make this but I don’t have a microwave, do you know what can I do without the microwave? Thanks much!
Mochi lovers unite! Although we have not tried it before with this recipe, I am aware that mochi can be made in a pot on the stove top. Bring the liquid ingredients to a boil before adding in the dry ingredients. Let us know how it goes!
Hi! I was wondering if the freshly brewed green tea/ match power and water ingredient is supposed to be boiling hot or cold? Thanks!
Hello Eliza, the since the mixture needs to be cooked in the microwave, the temperature of the water should not matter much. Be careful when working with boiling water; the mixture may also require less time in the microwave. Hope that helps!
Recipe worked! Used half the salt (1/4 tsp) since I was using a sea salt; using the 1/2tsp with sea salt was awful and had to double the recipe. Also microwaved for almost 2 1/4 minutes before getting the nice taffy texture (which solidifies into the usual mochi texture after cooling) with the matcha and a weaker microwave.
I was skeptical about the light green color before microwaving, but it became the deeper green of the photo after cooking in the microwave.
Also used palm sugar and honey, taste is 👌. Thank you!