Easy Snacks

[applestar]

I couldn’t find a good thread that I could add to, so why not start a new thread for easy snacks?

I made something new to me that is apparently a classic home made snack practically every mom makes for her kids in Hokkaido (northern-most area of Japan). Hokkaido, like Maine and Idaho ... and maybe Ireland, is known as potato-growing capitol of Japan, so this snack is made from potatoes and potato starch. And this is Japan, so of course the glaze/sauce is made with sweetened soy sauce.

It’s called Imo Mochi — which I guess loosely translates to Potato Dumplings.



...it was an instant hit — DH and DD1 devoured the first batch and she said I should make this often. I added some of the dumplings in a pork and potato/daikon stew and that was really good too, and reserved some shaped dumplings to pan fry and glaze later for DD2 (and DD1) and they were gone in no time at all.

I’ll post the recipe after I’ve had the chance to try making it a couple more times, but basically the dumpling is peeled, cubed, boiled potatoes, drained and heated to remove excess moisture, then mashed and kneaded with potato starch. Glaze is equal parts soy sauce and mirin, with a little less sugar (1:1:0.8 ), heated and thickened with water and tiny bit of potato starch.

Apparently, there are similar recipes/variations made with sweet potatoes and sweet potato starch, as well as kabocha... I wonder what kind of starch? Hm... maybe corn starch would be interesting? There is also something called "daikon mochi" — which I would imagine is completely different, but I want to look up recipes.

[digitS']

And, I thought that mochi was just that sticky, rice ... uh, snack. Too sticky!

Ha! Maybe this is a way to use up some of those little bags of starch (various) that I bought when DD thought that she should go gluten-free, a year or so ago. I wondered how homemade breads might be made but didn't go much beyond some homemade pancakes that were okay.

Snacks to me are usually cookies, breads and pie. I will finish the last of the Thanksgiving apple pie this morning, after a brief moment in the microwave. Banana bread was my baking task on Monday, using some bananas that were on their way to being overripe, if'n I didn't do something with them! It is the simplest recipe that I could find several years ago. Goes just fine toasted and served with apple butter .

Cookies? I have a tab open for a pumpkin chocolate chip recipe. Probably already have a recipe in the binder but I'm intending to use one of the Jack o'lantern pumpkins that are in the basement. It has been a small adventure during winter time for me in recent years to come up with uses for extra pumpkins that don't go out beside the front door to scare the trick-or-treaters.

What I have found so far is that those pumpkins serve as zucchini substitutes, work in bread, but fail in pie recipes. I will try them as cookies even though I imagine that a Kabocha would be a better choice. Potato cookie? No. I don't think that I can go that far.

Steve

[applestar]

Mochi’ s texture is chewy, not necessarily sticky. It’s quite similar to warm mozzarella cheese (sticks) that have cooled so they don’t pull into strings but are not cold and breaks when bent. When mochi is toasted or cooked hot, it pulls into strings just like mozzarella.

These are not true mochi, so they have the chewy texture but will not pull into strings — I suppose a bit similar to gnocchi maybe? but using the starch rather than flour creates the mochi-like smooth texture.


Starch is always good for thickening sauces and stews/soups. Also great for dusting anything you want to fry/pan-fry since they create wonderful crispy texture. Do this before the typical eggwash/milk/bread or cracker crumbs. If not using flour at all, you can also use to make the batter.

There is a popular Japanese fried chicken called Tatsuta-age, which is made by cutting up thigh meat and marinating, then dusting with potato starch then frying. You could use any kind of starch. This technique creates a completely different kind of crust and can be applied to other meats and vegetables.

You could make glass noodles with starch, or those clear spring roll wrappers. I make “tapioca” pearls and make bubble drinks for my girls (if you decide to do this, make sure to get those extra wide straws)

[imafan26]

This is a popular dessert especially for potlucks and for Christmas presents at this time of year. You can also add 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut. I cut the sugar since I don't like very sweet desserts. I usually put this in smaller 8x8 inch pans. The center of a 9x13 inch pan sometimes ends up being soft and under cooked and if you cook it longer the edges are over done. Rice flour and coconut milk are common in all stores here but you may have to look for it in Asian markets elsewhere.

Butter Mochi

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter melted (1/2 cup = 1 stick)
3 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
16 oz mochiko flour 1 box (rice flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 can evaporated milk 12 oz
1 can coconut milk 14 oz (make sure you shake the can well before opening)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x13 inch pan or two 8x8 inch pans.

Mix the melted butter and sugar until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla. Pour in the mochiko and add the baking powder. Stir until mostly combined. Stir in the evaporated milk, stir in the coconut milk. When batter is totally smooth, pour into pan and bake for one hour.

Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Remove from pan and cut into pieces on a cutting board.

[applestar]

Ooh looks good, @imafan! Adding it to my recipe list.