Learn How to Make Japanese Grilled Mochi (Rice Cake) (2024)

Judy Ung

Food writer, recipe developer, and blogger who has published hundreds of Japanese home-cooking recipes.

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Updated on 04/19/23

Tested byJoan Velush

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Learn How to Make Japanese Grilled Mochi (Rice Cake) (1)

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Total: 15 mins

Serving: 1 serving

Yield: 1to 2 pieces

51 ratings

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Mochi is a plain rice cake, a traditional ingredient in Japanese cooking. Mostly thought of outside of Japan as a small round sweet confection, plain mochi is very mild in flavor and can take on savory flavors as well. Mochi add a lot of texture to many dishes like ozoni, udon, or miso soup in addition to being made with sweet ingredients as a dessert or snack. We grill store-bought mochi and present it with three sweet toppings for a wonderful snack, side dish, appetizer, or breakfast treat.

Grilled rice cakes are probably one of the most rustic and traditional ways in which plain traditional rice cakes are enjoyed. When done, they're chewy and soft with a delicious toasted flavor. Usually bought already cut and individually wrapped, "kiri mochi" are shelf-stable dry rice cakes easily available in Asian markets or online. Pounding cooked short-grain rice at home is also and option, though a labor-intensive one.

Traditionally, grilled mochi is enjoyed either with soy sauce sweetened with sugar and wrapped in dried seaweed such as isobeyaki mochi, or with sweetened kinako soy bean powder for kinako mochi. The mochi flavors in our recipe are traditional but mochi can be enhanced with other interesting seasonings, such as ginger, ra-yu chile oil, togarashi red chile pepper, and sweet miso. Be mindful that mochi is extremely thick and chewy, so it is very important to take small bites and chew very well to avoid choking—a common hazard in Japan, despite the country's love of mochi.

“Yaki Mochi, a grilled Japanese rice cake, is a savory recipe using Japanese mochi. Sweetened versions of mochi are more common, but this recipe uses Kiri mochi, which is an unsweetened dry rice cake. Once grilled, top with your choice of delicious Japanese seasonings to amp up its flavor. Definitely an interesting snack to try.” —Joan Velush

Learn How to Make Japanese Grilled Mochi (Rice Cake) (2)

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 to 2 pieces mochi, fresh or packaged
2 teaspoons soy sauce, optional
1/4 teaspoon granulatedwhite sugar, optional
1 sheet nori seaweed, optional
1/4 teaspoon kinako, or dried roasted soybean powder, optional
1 cup anko, or sweet red beans, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Using a griddle or grill pan, coat the surface with a nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high.
When the pan is hot, place the mochi onto the grill and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. The mochi is ready when it has puffed up a bit and has reached your desired color and texture.
For assembling, choose your toppings. You could mix the soy sauce and sugar and drizzle it over the mochi and then wrap it in a strip of nori, sprinkle the mochi with sweet kinako powder, or top the rice cakes with a spoonful or two of anko. Use the sweetened soy sauce as a dip, too.

Experts Tips

Shelf-stable packaged dried mochi really puffs up when grilled. After allowing it to cool for a moment, gently smash the puffed mochi with the palm of your hand or a spatula so that it is a manageable height to work with.
Use your toaster oven to grill mochi, just be sure to place it on a piece of foil, especially if it's fresh mochi, as it tends to expand quickly after it puffs up and can drip everywhere.

What Are Anko and Kinako?

Anko is a widely used ingredient in Japanese cuisine, a paste made of sweetened adzuki beans and sugar. It can be red in color from the husk of the cooked beans or lighter in color if the husks are removed before grinding the beans. There are also a dried version and one made of sweetened unground beans, but the canned or refrigerated sweetened paste is the easiest to find and use.

Kinako is roasted soy flour, also traditionally used in many Japanese dishes. The roasted beans are made into flour—some brands remove the husks before processing and some don't. It's used as a topping for sweet confections or added to milk or water to make a fortified beverage.

Best Japanese Mochi Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252	Calories
5g	Fat
50g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	7%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 4mg	1%
Sodium 18mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 50g	18%
Dietary Fiber 0g	2%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 40mg	3%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 100mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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Sure, I'm quite familiar with Japanese cuisine and its traditional ingredients. Mochi, a staple in Japanese cooking, is a versatile ingredient made from glutinous rice. It's used in various ways, from sweet desserts to savory dishes. When it comes to making grilled mochi, using the right type of mochi is crucial. "Kiri mochi," the unsweetened dry rice cakes, are often used for grilling, readily available in Asian markets or online. However, some individuals prefer pounding cooked short-grain rice at home, though it's a labor-intensive process.

Grilled mochi is celebrated for its chewy texture and toasted flavor. Traditionally, it's paired with sweetened soy sauce and sugar, wrapped in dried seaweed (isobeyaki mochi) or coated with sweetened kinako soybean powder (kinako mochi). But the versatility extends to other seasonings too, such as ginger, chile oil, red chile pepper, and sweet miso.

Anko, a sweet red bean paste, and kinako, a roasted soy flour, are commonly used in Japanese cuisine. Anko is made from sweetened adzuki beans and sugar, available in various forms—canned, refrigerated, or dried. Kinako, on the other hand, is used as a topping for confections or mixed with liquid to create a fortified beverage.

When making grilled mochi, it's essential to handle it with care due to its thickness and chewiness. The process involves grilling the mochi until it puffs up, then adding desired toppings like soy sauce, nori seaweed, kinako powder, or anko. One should be cautious while consuming mochi to prevent choking, as its sticky texture can pose a hazard, particularly in Japan where it's a known issue despite its popularity.

The article provides a simple recipe for making grilled mochi, offering variations in toppings and additional tips for handling and grilling. The versatility of mochi extends beyond just sweet flavors, making it a delightful addition to various Japanese dishes, both savory and sweet.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g	7%
Saturated Fat 4g	21%
Cholesterol 4mg	1%
Sodium 18mg	1%
Total Carbohydrate 50g	18%
Dietary Fiber 0g	2%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg	2%
Calcium 40mg	3%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 100mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.