Whether you are gluten intolerant, want to eat gluten free for your own reasons, or have decided that you simply want to try new types of flour for your next meal, you still want to know about what is inside each type of flour that you will use.
Mochiko is a Japanese rice flour that is made from steamed rice that has been ground into a fine powder, and it is made out of glutinous rice. Mochiko is known for its sticky texture, and it often is used in Japanese pastries, such as mochi, and other breads and cakes.
Mochiko is made by taking glutinous rice flour and then it is washed in cold water. The rice is then dehydrated and then ground into a fine powder, which is used to make a dough and can be used just like regular flour. Although the flower is somewhat sticky and stretchy when it is worked with, so if you have never used Mochiko before you will need to be prepared for that.
There are two main different types of Mochiko, and even though glutinous rice flower is used in each type, there are some differences. The most common type of mochiko is called Koshi, which means dried, and it is what you will find in most supermarkets and other places.
The second most common type of Mochiko is called Hakusai, which means frozen. This type of flour is produced using frozen raw materials, and it is very common for chefs making baked goods. This frozen flour is often sold in smaller dosages compared to the Koshi flower, and it is often mixed with other types of flour to produce different textures of flour.
Is Mochiko A Brand?
Mochiko is not a brand, just the name of the rice flour, and mochiko is just one of several brands of rice flour. Like how in the west we have different names for different varieties of wheat flour, like white, wholemeal, all purpose, and self-raising. In Japan there are several different brands that are well known for making Mochiko, however, you won’t find them in the US unless you buy your glutinous rice flour from out of state.
Popular eastern retailers and various online stores such as Amazon have access to glutinous rice flour, so it won’t be too hard to get your hands on it.
Mochiko Flour Ingredients
The only ingredient in Mochiko glutinous rice flour is sweet glutinous rice flour. Because of the natural sticky texture of the rice flour, which is desired in Japanese cooking, almost no extra ingredients are added to the dish. There are some types of mochiko that do have sugar inside of them – called sweet mochiko, but for the most part, the various types of mochiko are told apart by how they are manufactured rather than by the ingredients they have.
If you want to make this one ingredient dish yourself, then you simply need to take your rice and wash the rice in a large pot until the water comes back clear rather than cloudy. Then once that is done, you need to drain the rice through a sieve or a colander, and leave the rice to dry in a dehydrator (or the dehydrate setting on an oven or air fryer) for about 12 hours.
Dehydrate the rice at 150-200 degrees Fahrenheit for 6 to 12 hours, and make sure to check your rice every few hours to make sure it doesn’t burn. Once you have the dehydrated rice, you just need to grind it into a powder with your blender, and you will have your own Mochiko!
What is the Difference Between Rice Flour and Mochiko?
Both types of rice are made by removing the outer husk of the rice grain and then grinding the dehydrated inner kernel into a powder. The biggest difference is the type of rice grain that is used to make them. Regular rice flour is made from long grain brown or white rice, which is non-glutinous, and it also is not as sticky as mochiko.
Mochiko glutinous rice flour is made from a short grain sweet rice called mochigome or ‘sticky rice.’ This rice gives the flour the sticky texture that all those in Japan know and love, and it also provides the basis for the delicious mochi that is a perfect treat for everyone.
Conclusion
Whether you want to make mochi, dango, dumplings, noodles, or cakes, you can easily do so with mochiko! This glutinous rice flour is easy to make, easy to work with, and with a little time and practice you can make batches of mochiko whenever you would like. Which leads to you being able to fill your home with all sorts of Japanese goodies!
Mochiko is nothing more than glutinous rice flour, and once you get the hang of how to make it (which should be pretty easy if you have ever worked with rice before), then you will be able to take advantage of all it has to offer you!
