Give plain mochi a scrumptious umami punch with my straightforward Isobeyaki Mochi with Cheese. Dipped in soy sauce and wrapped in nori seaweed, it’s a preferred technique to get pleasure from glutinous rice truffles as a satisfying snack on Japanese New 12 months or anytime.
The Japanese have many scrumptious methods to arrange plain mochi. At the moment, I’ll present you the way I make pan-grill Japanese glutinous rice truffles filled with cheese in my Isobeyaki Mochi with Cheese recipe. It’s crispy, chewy, melty, and savory—and it simply may turn out to be your new favourite mochi.
In the event you love Japanese rice truffles, strive my recipes for Ozoni, Udon Noodle Soup with Toasted Mochi (Chikara Udon), and Zenzai (Candy Purple Bean Soup with Mochi)!
What’s Isobeyaki Mochi?
Isobeyaki (磯辺焼き) mochi is grilled or pan-fried Japanese glutinous rice truffles referred to as yakimochi that we soak in soy sauce and wrap in nori (dried laver seaweed). Dishes made with nori and components harvested from the coast are named isobe, which suggests “seashore” in Japanese. It’s widespread in japanese Japan to arrange yakimochi with soy sauce and nori, whereas soy sauce with sugar is extra frequent in western Japan.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s bursting with umami. I like the wealthy and salty taste from the mixture of cheese, soy sauce, and nori. Collectively, they ship a 1-2-3 savory punch!
- The chewy and melty textures are so satisfying. The recent mochi melts the cheese stuffing for a stretchy cheese pull!
- It’s fast and straightforward to make. I exploit shelf-stable kiri mochi (see under) that I all the time have in my pantry, so it’s prepared in simply minutes.
Components for Isobeyaki Mochi
Discover the printable recipe with measurements under.
Substitutions
- Mochi: This recipe requires handy kiri mochi (切り餅, additionally kirimochi) that’s lower, dried, and individually wrapped. You will discover it in Japanese grocery shops and on Amazon. This “lower mochi” shops properly and is what Japanese households use to arrange mochi at house. It’s really easy to make use of, and it’s the subsequent smartest thing to contemporary. In the event you wish to make contemporary mochi at house, observe my information on The right way to Make Mochi with a Stand Mixer.
- Nori: I used crispy ajitsuke nori (味付け海苔) that’s seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, and salt. In the event you don’t have it, you possibly can lower items of plain seaweed sheets which are usually used for sushi rolls. In the event you’re not keen on seaweed, go forward and skip it.
- Cheese: You should use any type of sliced cheese. In Japan, it’s frequent to make use of processed cheese present in any grocery retailer. On this recipe, I used sliced mozzarella, however you need to use Swiss, provolone, Muenster, Brie…the choices are infinite.
- Soy sauce: Use tamari soy sauce for gluten-free.
The right way to Make Isobeyaki Mochi
Preparation
Step 1 – Make the candy soy sauce. Add the soy sauce and sugar to a glass bowl and warmth within the microwave till the sugar melts. Stir properly to dissolve.
Cooking
Step 2 – Begin grilling the mochi. Line a chilly frying pan with parchment paper and set the mochi items on prime. Activate the warmth to medium-low and canopy with a lid.
Step 3 – Press down on the mochi when it puffs on the underside. This can encourage toasting marks on the underside floor. Then, grill them on the opposite facet till puffed and gentle within the center.
Assemble
Step 4 – Smash the toasted mochi and season. Flatten the puffed-up mochi together with your palm. Then, coat generously within the candy soy sauce.
Step 5 – Wrap nori across the seasoned mochi. The dried seaweed sheet will adhere to the moistened mochi. Serve with chopsticks and revel in!
Step 6 – (Non-obligatory) Stuff it with cheese. After seasoning it, pull to increase the recent mochi, then fold it over the sliced cheese. Wrap within the nori and serve.
Nami’s Recipe Ideas
- Cook dinner the mochi till it’s gentle within the center – You’ll realize it’s completed when the mochi puffs up. It ought to take about 5–6 minutes per facet to get gentle on the within and crispy exterior.
- Serve whereas it’s sizzling – As soon as it’s heated and flavored, get pleasure from it instantly. The grilled rice cake will begin to harden because it cools, so serve it sizzling for the very best chewy texture!
Variations and Customizations
- Sprinkle Japanese seven spice. For some additional warmth, add the Japanese chili seasoning powder referred to as shichimi togarashi to style.
- Make butter soy sauce. Warmth a pat of butter together with your soy sauce and sugar within the microwave. The additional richness goes so properly with the salty and umami flavors.
- Stuff it with a special filling. As a substitute of cheese, strive filling the mochi with natto (Japanese fermented soybeans).
- Use agency tofu as a substitute of mochi. Sandwich some cheese between two slices of agency tofu. Fry each side in oil till browned, dip in soy sauce, and wrap in nori. You may as well make isobeyaki with fish cake, scallops, potatoes, and potato mochi!
What to Serve with Isobeyaki Mochi
- With a sizzling beverage – Be taught The right way to Make Japanese Inexperienced Tea for a comfy drink to accompany your isobeyaki mochi!
- With different mochi – I grew up consuming plain mochi on New 12 months’s Day in three completely different flavors AND in Ozoni soup! See the way to make candy crimson bean paste (anko) mochi together with kinako mochi in my submit The right way to Take pleasure in Japanese Mochi.
Storage Ideas
To retailer: It’s finest to prepare dinner the mochi proper earlier than you serve it, as it’s going to harden because it cools. I like to recommend making ready solely as a lot isobeyaki mochi as you possibly can eat.
Often Requested Questions
You’ll be able to if you want. Plain soy sauce is definitely a preferred model of isobeyaki in japanese Japan. Alternatively, you possibly can customise it with honey or your most popular sweetener.
It’s not crucial or conventional to take action. In Japan, we hold issues easy in the case of isobeyaki!
Extra Mochi Recipes
In the event you love this Isobeyaki Mochi with Cheese, you’re in for a deal with with these different irresistible mochi recipes.
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To Make the Candy Soy Sauce
To Grill and Toast the Mochi
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Place a sheet of parchment paper in a chilly frying pan. Evenly area 4 Japanese rice cake (kiri mochi) on prime.
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Activate the warmth to medium-low and canopy with a lid. Cook dinner all sides for about 5–6 minutes, or till it puffs up and is toasted brown. Tip: The lid is non-obligatory, however I discover it useful to make use of at first to hurry up the method and facilitate cooking. As soon as the mochi begins to puff, it’s going to turn out to be too tall, so we won’t cowl it.
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Open the lid and verify a number of instances. When the mochi begins to puff up, gently press them down together with your fingers as soon as, so that they have a pleasant toasted mark on the underside floor.
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As soon as browned, flip it over and toast the opposite facet for five–6 minutes or till puffed and browned. Once more, gently press it down at first for even browning. As soon as puffed and gentle within the center, switch to a plate.
To Make the Isobeyaki
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The basic model: Press down on the puffed mochi together with your hand to flatten it. Then, roll it within the candy soy sauce to coat utterly. Wrap it with nori (dried laver seaweed). Tip: I sometimes use two items of ajitsuke nori per mochi.
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My household’s model with cheese: Minimize 2 slices cheese in half. Fold them in thirds.
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Use your hand to press down and flatten the puffed mochi. Then, roll it within the candy soy sauce to coat utterly. Then, pull aside the mochi to increase it.
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Place the cheese inside and fold the mochi over it to cowl. Wrap it with nori (dried laver seaweed).
