What is Mochi?
[[File:Mochi 002.jpg|thumb| Kakumochi (cutted rice cake)]] '''Mochi''' is a type of [[Japan]]ese [[confectionary]] made from pounded [[pasty rice]] and molded into shape. Mochi normally has a filling inside, such as [[ice cream]], [[Azuki bean|azuki]] (red bean) paste, and others. In Japan, mochi is often eaten in New Year's Day in one of two dishes: [[ozoni]] (お雑煮) or [[osiruko]] (おしるこ). ==Mochitsuki(餅つき）== [[File:Mortar and a mallet to make a rice cake,Katori-city,Japan.JPG|thumb|left|200px|Usu and Kine]] [[File:Mochituki1.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Mochitusuki]] Mochitsuki is a traditional mochi-making ceremony in Japan. It requires two people. One person pounds steamed rice into the dough with a traditional mortar (臼:usu）and a mallet（杵:kine). The other person turns over rice each time it is pounded. They have to keep rhythm to make mochi well. These days, normal families rarely do classic mochitsuki, but it is still popular at community events or with children's groups. ==Mochi dishes== * Yaki mochi (grilled mochi) * Kusa mochi (mochi produced by mixing mugwort into glutinous rice and pounding the mixture ) * [[Kinako]] mochi (mochi with powdered soybeans ) * Ozoni (soup dish which contains mochi and other ingredients) * Oshiruko (mochi in a sweet soup which is obtained by boiling red beans ) ==Choking hazard== Mochi can be dangerous food for old people because it is difficult to bite off and is sticky. Many old people choke to death while eating mochi every year. Japanese know mochi is dangerous traditional food, so the accident is one's own responsibility.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-01-02|title=Delicious but deadly mochi: The Japanese rice cakes that kill|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42537953|access-date=2021-07-13}}</ref> [[File:Zoni by atmo in Nagoya, with rice cake.jpg|thumb|200px|Mochi is very sticky]] ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Other websites== * http://janmstore.com/mochitsuki.html/ {{Multistub|Japan|food}} [[Category:Rice]]