Whether you’re making mochi cakes, mochi doughnuts, butter mochi, or…well, mochi mochi, the key ingredient for achieving that signature bouncy, chewy texture is mochiko, a type of Japanese rice flour. Made from a variety of sticky short-grain rice, mochiko has a subtle almost milky flavor. And while it’s often called sweet rice flour because of its extensive use in Japanese desserts, it can be applied to both sweet and savory dishes.
Is mochiko the same as glutinous rice flour?
Mochiko (also known as mochi flour, mochi cake flour, sticky rice flour, or sweet rice flour) is a type of glutinous rice flour, but it isn’t the only one. Similar varieties are common in cuisines across China and Thailand. Even Japan boasts more than one type, such as shiratamako, which is less common on American store shelves but has distinct uses for Japanese bakers. While mochiko is milled from dried short-grain rice, shiratamako is made from short-grain rice that has been hydrated and ground into a paste before drying into a fine powder.
In a pinch, different varieties of glutinous rice flour can be substituted for one another. But, because of the singular characteristics inherent in each variety, it’s best to use the specific type specified in your recipe. “If it calls for mochiko,” says chef Robynne Maii, co-owner of restaurant Fête in Honolulu, Hawaii, “use mochiko.” Slight differences in the type of rice and the way the flour is processed can create big differences in the final texture and composition of dishes that feature the ingredient. While there are plenty of mochiko brands to be found outside Japan, the most widely available is Koda Farms Blue Star Brand, which also happens to be Chef Maii’s favorite.
Are mochiko and tapioca starch related?
Mochiko and tapioca starch (or tapioca flour) are completely different ingredients. While they share a similar texture and thickening qualities, tapioca does not come from rice, but instead is made from the root of the cassava plant. Still, the two ingredients complement one another wonderfully, like in this springy doughnut recipe from our friends at Epicurious, where recipe developer Clarice Lam blends the two flours for even more chew than mochiko alone would provide.
Is mochiko gluten-free?
Despite some confusion over their name, glutinous rice flours are not glutenous—that is, they do not contain gluten. Instead, they have high starch contents and lend baked goods a pleasantly bouncy, chewy bite. Some conflate this texture with the chewiness that comes from overworked gluten. This means that, unlike with plain flour, gluten-free mochiko-based pastries and batters won’t develop the long, dense protein chains that turn out rubbery pancakes.
Try mochiko in a glossy, caramel-covered black sesame mochi cake…
Photo by Laura Murray, Food styling by Yekaterina Boystova
…Or in this pecan pie riff made with maple syrup and miso paste.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Shuai Wang, Prop Styling by Megan Forbes and Christina HusseyHow to use mochiko
Mochiko excels in dessert recipes (its creamy flavor pairs well with sweet ingredients).
