mad for mochi
sharing truly is caring.
my coworker graciously bestowed upon me this gem plucked from a bounty of mochi he recently procured from a friend traveling in hawaii. this isn’t just any mochi that you can purchase in japantown or on clement street. according to doug (said coworker), this is the only mochi he’ll ever eat:
chi chi dango, made by honolulu’s celebrated nisshodo candy store.
rui said that “chichi” is japanese for milk. makes sense, since chichi dango is made with powdered milk.
i looooove mochi, but am somewhat apathetic toward the red bean stuffed variety. however, i’ll gladly devour mochi filled with black sesame, chestnut cream, or chocolate. i usually indulge my cravings for these at nippon ya. my absolute favorite though, is just pounded glutinous sweet rice. simple and pure, with nothing inside. this kind — pictured above — is not so easy to find.
not only is the taste spectacular — slightly sweet and almost earthy — the texture is a treat for your mouth: pillowy, soft, and chewy. sometimes i’m not so sure if it’s the unique flavor or the mastication that i relish more. of course, it’s the combination of the two.
one of these rainy days, i’m gonna savor a helping of chi chi dango with a pot of steaming matcha and a movie. does that sound like restorative relaxation or what?!
random photos:
fried mochi (savory and sweet) at japantown’s cherry blossom festival
chinese zhi ma tang yuan (black sesame rice dumplings)
ps – it’s an asian art museum tradition, and for the past three years, a beloved tradition of mine as well: mochitsuki, the mochi pounding party. if you wanna observe the actual mochi-making process in a lively and festive atmosphere, participate by pounding the rice yourself, AND taste the results of all that rigorous activity, then i’ll see you at the museum on saturday, january 5. seriously – it’s pretty damn fun.
November 7th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
oh, mochituski sounds fun. do we just show up or is there a secret handshake we must practice beforehand? Another thing that’s hard to find. Plain and simple apple hard candy. I got some at a department store in Hawaii oh so many years ago.
November 7th, 2007 at 4:44 pm
Hey, who’s your gorgeous friend eating the mochi? I want to meet her.
And steal her mochi.
November 8th, 2007 at 3:41 am
mmm… Balls.
November 8th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
mastication is a premium part of the experience, definitely. but there’s also something really charming and wholesome about getting that light dusting of rice flour on your lips while you eat.
November 8th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
hum, i did not think i would be quoted – i should watch what i say around you!
to explain a bit more about the “chichi” – that character, δΉ³-for those who can read japanese (probably close in chinese too?), is used more for human milk/breast – but can also be applied to non-human too.
so milk is not off the mark but perhaps not quite on either.
November 14th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
i get to eat all the chi-chi dango i want in hawaii.
woohoo
February 29th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
[...] but no, girlfriend not only showed up in my “alcove” with her enviable nut-colored tan and overall healthy glow (b#*%, but she ALSO BROUGHT me a belated birthday gift: an uber-special hawaiian specialty, chi chi dango from nisshodo. perhaps you may remember when i gushed profusely about these heavenly treats. [...]