How to make Warabi Mochi with 3 different kind of starch

 

超簡單❗️輕鬆做出超彈Q的蕨餅 💖 首先認識這3種澱粉 @beanpandacook​

 

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Starch is a way for green plants to store energy. It can be extracted from seeds, tubers, or rhizomes. Different regions have their own ways of using starch, and it can be consumed in various forms, such as making different types of snacks. Starch extracted from different plants has different characteristics in terms of stickiness, color, water absorption, hardness, texture, nutrition, and therapeutic effects. Each ingredient has its unique features. If you are passionate about cooking, finding the right ingredients is the first step towards creating great dishes.

Hon Warabiko Roots grow underground and have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, cooling and removing heat. Starch is extracted from plants through wet grinding, washing, sieving, and drying. In ancient times without industrialization, starch was a precious ingredient. Warabi mochi is a traditional Japanese noble dessert made from fiddlehead fern root starch. It is especially refreshing when served slightly chilled and is a summer-exclusive sweet.

Warabiko is starch extracted from Warabiko Roots. It is difficult to find pure Warabiko, and most of the Warabiko powder sold in the market is mixed with sweet potato or cassava flour, which is cheaper. Make sure to look for “Hon Warabiko” on the package.

Hon Warabiko itself has no flavor, and the taste of Warabi mochi is determined by the sweetness. Traditionally, block-shaped black sugar is used, which has a rich caramel flavor. However, I wanted to compare the colors of three different starches, so I used a lighter-colored Demerara cane sugar, which is less refined and retains the original flavor of sugarcane.

Lotus root starch, pure Warabiko, and kudzu starch can all achieve a refreshing and chewy texture after being heated and gelatinized. The effects are quite similar, but lotus root starch is softer and more delicate, while Warabi-ko has a stronger and chewier texture. Kudzu starch has the worst elasticity and a slightly powdery texture. After being chilled in the refrigerator for 2 hours, Warabi mochi made with kudzu starch is not as translucent as before. The texture is less chewy, and it’s easy to break apart due to its lack of elasticity. The surface of the mochi becomes harder, and the mouthfeel is more sticky and less elastic.

Mr. Panda prefers Warabiko, while I prefer lotus root starch. Each ingredient has its unique features. If you are passionate about food, finding the right ingredients is the first step towards creating great dishes.

Lotus root starch is one of the ingredients used in the imperial cuisine of Empress Dowager Cixi. After lotus root starch is cooked and gelatinized, it has a stronger resilience and stickiness than pure Warabi-ko. It can even form a thin film when cooled. Although the performance after gelatinization is similar, there are still slight differences in texture. Lotus root starch has a unique and fragrant aroma, as well as nutritional value that other starches do not have. I didn’t use black sugar, and the amber color comes from the iron in the lotus root starch. Lotus root can promote the production of body fluids, invigorate the spleen, and stop bleeding, so it should be avoided by women during their menstrual cycle.

Lotus root starch goes well with osmanthus. For the recipe of lotus root Warabi mochi, I made a syrup by mixing homemade osmanthus sugar with maple syrup, and then sprinkled roasted peanuts on top. If you don’t like the taste or get tired of the lotus root starch soup, you can try making it into tender and chewy pancakes.

The texture of pastries differs due to the type of starch and the method of preparation. Kudzu starch is extracted from the roots of the kudzu plant, and I introduced it in the kudzu starch noodle video. After adding hot water, kudzu starch cannot form a typical thick paste. When matured, its elasticity and stickiness are worse than pure Warabiko and lotus root starch. Therefore, it is more suitable to use a double-boiling method to make kudzu starch noodles, which have a better texture than making Q and chewy cakes directly by heating and gelatinizing.

【Original Warabi Mochi ♦ Ingredients】

  • Hon Warabiko/Bracken Starch 100 g
  • Cold Drinking Water 160 ml (measured with an electronic scale)

 

  • Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 35 g
  • Hot Water 230 ml

Demerara Raw Cane Sugar can be replaced with black sugar, which is less sweet than Demerara Raw Cane Sugar. If you want a similar level of sweetness, you need to increase the amount.

Toppings:

  • Homemade Soybean Powder 10 g
  • Molasses (black sugar syrup) as desired

【Lotus Root Warabi Mochi ♦ Ingredients】

  • Lotus Root Starch 100 g (homemade lotus root starch recipe here)
  • Cold Drinking Water 160 ml (measured with an electronic scale)

 

  • Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 35 g
  • Dried Osmanthus 5 g
  • Hot Water 230 ml

Toppings:

【Arrowroot Warabi Mochi ♦ Ingredients】

  • Arrowroot Powder 100 g
  • Cold Drinking Water 160 ml (measured with an electronic scale)

 

  • Demerara Raw Cane Sugar 35 g
  • Hot Water 230 ml

 

  • Homemade Soybean Powder 10 g
  • Molasses (black sugar syrup) as desired

Purchase links:

【Warabi Mochi Recipe】

  1. Sift the homemade soybean powder and sprinkle it thinly on a shallow plate. This will prevent the Warabi Mochi from sticking to the plate after cooking
  2. Add cold drinking water to the Pure Warabi-ko and stir to form a paste. All starches are insoluble in cold water. If they are left to settle, the starch will separate from the water. Before heating in the pot, be sure to stir the mixture thoroughly again.
  3. In a pot, add Demerara Raw Cane Sugar and hot water, and heat over high heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the sugar water boil.
  4. Use a mixer to continuously stir in a circular motion while slowly pouring in the Pure Warabi-ko paste. When small lumps appear in the mixture, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring in a circular motion.
  5. The mixture will become thicker and more resistant to stirring as it cooks. Keep stirring and pay attention to the changes in the mixture. The opaque white mixture will slowly become transparent. When 70-80% of the mixture becomes transparent, turn off the heat to avoid overcooking.
  6. Use the residual heat to continue stirring the hot mixture until it becomes completely transparent. Change the direction of stirring to allow the top of the mixture to contact the heat source more evenly. The transparent mixture can be pulled into strands before removing it from the pot.
  7. Pour the mixture into the plate that has been sprinkled with soybean powderSoybean powder prevents the Warabi Mochi from sticking to the plate and is a standard pairing for Warabi Mochi. It also adds a roasted aroma when baking, making the flavor more complex. Fully cooked Warabi Mochi will not stick to the plate and will automatically peel off when it cools.
  8. The warm Warabi Mochi will be sticky, so chill it in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours
  9. Remove the Warabi Mochi from the refrigerator. Completely cooled Warabi Mochi will not be sticky, making it easier to cut into pieces. Sprinkle some soybean powder on the surface before cutting, and sprinkle some more soybean powder on the surface that did not come into contact with the powder to avoid wasting it. Flip the pieces over to prevent them from sticking together, and place them on a plate. Drizzle with molasses and enjoy!

【Lotus Root Warabi Mochi Recipe】

  1. Mix the lotus root starch and cold drinking water. The process is exactly the same as for Pure Warabi-ko.
  2. In a pot, add Demerara Raw Cane Sugar and dried osmanthus for aroma. Add hot water and heat over high heat until it boils. Cover the pot to accelerate boiling. Controlling the heat can make the process smoother. If you forget to reduce the heat and the mixture becomes too thick to stir, add a little hot water and continue stirring. The amount of water and the refrigeration time determine the hardness of the Warabi Mochi. Adding extra hot water is a compromise method. It makes the mixture softer. Chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours, sprinkle with soybean powderroasted peanut crumbs, and drizzle with osmanthus scented jam. Enjoy!

Tips:

  • It is recommended to use a mixer to stir the mixture. Using a wooden spoon makes it difficult to stir evenly and may result in small lumps.
  • Refrigeration can cause the starch to age, and the longer it is refrigerated, the harder the Warabi Mochi will become, and the Q texture will decrease. The refrigeration time should be controlled. Chilling for 2 hours will make it soft and tender with good Q texture. Based on my experience, a maximum of 6 hours of refrigeration is recommended.
  • Cooked and gelled pastries should be eaten fresh. After refrigeration for 24 hours, the starch will become opaque and difficult to digest in the human body.

手工蓮藕粉 曾經的欽定御膳貢品 Homemade Lotus Root Starch Recipe

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