What is the Best Way to Make Mochi at Home? - The Kitchen Gadget Test Show

On this episode of the Kitchen Gadget Test Show, host Esther Choi tests out two different mochi-making machines to see if the compare to hand-made versions.
Check out the gadgets:
Tiger Electric Mochi Maker ►► amzn.to/31HAULe
Zojirushi Rice Cake Machine ►► amzn.to/2FiS4Wh
See all the kitchen gadgets reviewed by Eater ►► bit.ly/kitcheng... (We may earn a commission if you purchase.)
Eater is the one-stop-shop for food and restaurant obsessives across the country. With features, explainers, animations, recipes, and more - it’s the most indulgent food content around. So get hungry.
Subscribe to our KZbin Channel now! goo.gl/hGwtF0

[@しゅーおーくらけらん]

Mochi machines, especially at those price points, are not for just any mochi lover. You have to be making that much mochi a few times in a week for you to justify buying these. Usually not most families and the person with random mochi cravings, but perhaps businesses that sell mochi products. The best way for the average person to make mochi at home is not even to pound steamed mochi rice by hand, it's by using wet-milled mochi rice flour(shiratamako or even mochiko). You can make as little as you want and using a microwave and the texture will be completely smooth. Overseas it might be more expensive then making it from the rice and the hydration levels will be slightly different (you might not be able to effectively dry it out for storage), but if you just want to eat a bit there are so many easier and cheap methods than getting your own mochi machine.

[@trazyntheinfinite9895]

True. But as far as gadgets go, the question is: does it work? Not whether you need it.

[@jenny9343]

I just buy a bag of gluttonous rice flour and use the microwave... done in under 5 mins. I also make icecream covered mochi. Its really good.

[@someoneyoumightknow2795]

You still need to pound it then

[@murxar2264]

@@someoneyoumightknow2795 if you use glutinous flour, you don't have to pound it. it's easier and faster method. if you use glutinous rice then you have to pound it smooth and this method is a longer process.

[@FalinPerth]

'Dango' is what you make with glutinous rice flour (+water in microwave). It's a lot like mochi, but not the same. Still delish, and way easier. To make the best dango use a mix of regular glutinous rice flour (mochiko) and Shiratamako (water milled glutinous rice flour). You'll get a way better texture by mixing the two types, over just using mochiko. I do 2/3 Shiratamako + 1/3 Mochiko. I buy the Erawan Brand from Thailand "Traditional Water Milled Glutinous Rice Flour" because it's a cheep, and available on US amazon. :)

[@celinez2224]

Seriously don’t brag

[@aurenstarlight]

Elena Z In what way was this bragging-

[@someoneyoumightknow2795]

Are you supposed to open the lid when it's getting pounded? I have a feeling that's why it was so dry...

[@bxnnyxniie666]

Its the best way to have it nice and MOIST

[@mylautube]

You are wrong

[@mylautube]

Wrong

[@mylautube]

Wrong

[@bl6973]

mylautube How do you know?

[@shen714]

Lol. "Or maybe you've just never had mochi before..", you should definitely buy this $300-$400 machine to try it for the first time. I love the enthusiasm though!

[@MyPugBiscuit]

Growing up my grandma used to make it all the time in our Hmong household. She would make it in a breakmaker! All my cousins and I would watch it roll and tumble. We loved eating it with just honey. We call it “ncuav” pronounced “joua”. You can also blend up the presoaked rice with sweet corn and sugar and then steam it. That was my favorite.

[@ClassyJohn]

Hi, when you made mochi in the breadmaker, did it come out grainy?

[@ikeorch7]

Lol “if you’ve never had mochi before you should buy this $400 machine”

[@kaijahzmom]

Right!🤣🤣😂

[@mylautube]

Really cheap! Cant wait to buy i dont get why its so funny

[@heyya7464]

Zojirushi items are amazing. They last forever and does it’s job properly.

[@berbnobirbyes.8583]

Agreed! Love my Zojirushi rice cooked to pieces

[@heyya7464]

I think I’ll have a mental breakdown when my rice cooker and bread maker stop working.

[@trazyntheinfinite9895]

@@heyya7464 buy another one

[@heyya7464]

@@trazyntheinfinite9895 I bought a another Zojirushu rice cooker recently, just in case the old one dies suddenly.

[@ClassyJohn]

thats what happens when you have a quality product. When the companies intentionally make products defect after a certain period, which is common in a lot of Western and especially American products nowadays, then you get crap

[@juliaokasaki]

I know she was comparing pounded rice options (the machine vs by hand) but unless you make mochi a lot and in large quantities to justify buying the machine, using sweetened rice flour (Mochiko is common) to make mochi is so much easier than trying to pound the rice and you can make it in the microwave.

[@seitch1]

Texture between pounded rice mochi vs. rice flour mochi is not the same. Pounded is chewier and the flour version is softer. Depends on your preference.

[@trichellef5865]

did she just say that if you’ve never had mochi before you need to get the mochi machine? lol what is she talking about. does she earns a commission?

[@Alex-bn3ix]

Considering the links to amazon in the description, yes, they literally earn a commission if you check out on Amazon using their links.

[@allieg.1656]

Who would spend a crazy amount of money on something you dont even know if you like it?

[@pgarciaAP]

@@allieg.1656 cause she gets a kickback 😂🤣

[@Ikwileennieuwenaam_]

Lowkey thought this was a new Buzzfeed/tasty show tbh

[@chelsey8737]

Same. I didn't realize it isn't until i was already watching

[@iamthepinknarwhal]

It does have that buzz feed tasty feel. I'm def gonna binge on this for a while

[@ThadonutRs]

Pounding party, she must have done that on purpose

[@AlanHope2013]

Whenever I need some help with pounding, I know where to come. Too bad she gave up on the hand method. Talking about rice, of course.

[@jaredf6205]

Put it on the counter Nad just start beating it

[@again5771]

r/woosh

[@snarkygrin4132]

Ian looks like a good pounding partner.

[@teddymoon]

That’s literally what it’s called in Japanese tho. (お餅つきパーティー) The first time I was invited to one I thought my friend was trolling me, but that’s how she translated it into English. Lol 😂

[@Ann-hm7gj]

I'm late but that machine would be perfect to make Jamaican dough for dumplings. 💯 That machine is perfect 😄

[@AngelGonzalez-qi5um]

I've never had mochi before so let me get the product $300 - $400 to try it great advice

[@Lisa_Isom]

WHAT?!? Making mochi from rice, even? And in a mochi making machine??? ❤ I know what I'm asking for, for Christmas this year LOL 😅😂

[@2darkdragon]

esther choi is the reason i keep coming back

[@DanaTanksley]

I've been watching mochi maker videos all month. Was stoked when this popped up in my recommended. Your voice sounds a lot like CL from 2ne1 it's crazy.

[@BiggMo]

I didn’t know what mochi was before watching this. But hearing how much Esther loves it, I may have to change my name to Mochi

[@MarcioDec73]

I love this kinda Mochi,..fried,..served with shoyu with some sugar. tried to make mochi twice at home, with arm power, hammer style. Got really tired. I can't leave without Mochi..so I just bought da machine. thanks.

[@joforbes8]

I've owned a mochi machine for over twenty years and only have to use it when the only store on Guam that sells mochi runs out. Quite frankly, buying mochi is the best route to take.

[@RJFlute]

It works just as well in a stand mixer after the rice is cooked in a rice maker

[@MellisaDormoy]

THANK YOU! I was wondering about this!

[@saelee33]

For the zojirushi do I need a transformer? I'm in USA. Thank you

[@ramenadventure]

Wish I had space in my Japanese apartment kitchen for more gadgets 😂

[@aleksandrakarczewska6451]

Are you adding sugar when making a daifuku mochi? At what stage is that? Or is it just a plain mochi and sweet feeling?

[@raniamenjour8590]

I want to know the same thing! T_T

[@alexisgill1155]

Couldn’t you just steam the rice and use a bread maker or a mixer with a paddle on it

[@IQzminus2]

Yes this is a way some people make it, but you have to make small batches and only the most durable machines are suitable. Like very durable. Because you are running a real risk of messing up your machine. And wearing it down loads, especially if you do it multiple times. A lot of kitchen aid models are not up to the task in my opinion. But most bread makers are probably. Mochi dough is so bouncy, elastic, sticky and puts up loads of resistance. Nightmare to work with, for humans and machines alike. And you need to have the machine going for a long time to get a good texture. Even then you’ll likely get a more grainy end product compared to something like the Zojiushi. But if people aren’t planing on making mochi on the regular, I think learning how to use the machine you already own go get like 90% as good end result is the way to go.

[@JayceeImperial]

damn it i love her. need a separate esther choi notification lol

[@SymphonicWords]

Jaycee Imperial i remember when she was new and everyone was being salty even though she was great! so glad she’s settled in with other fans

[@MarcioDec73]

the Japanese machine above comes with JAPANESE instructions ONLY. One cannot tell how much water or rice to put in it (unless you read Japanese) . Neither cant make out how to prep the rice (if needed to prep), type of rice, etc. and more: it only comes as 100V, whereas in America, the voltage is 120V. So, one has to buy a separated step-down transformer to bring the 120V (USA) down to 100V(Japanese). Transformer = 35US$.

[@user-pm4vd7ys7v]

"POUNDING PARTY"

[@My2Deities]

Ummmm i would recommend if you have never had mochi before, go to your local asian market first and shell out the $5-$6 and try it to see if you even like it, that being said I am excited to be getting my first zojirushi mochi machine hopefully by mid April if everything goes well to pass customs. I have heard though that the machines do not come with english instructions. Does anyone know where those can be found or even a video explaining how to use the machine. I realized that we buy so much mochi (love love love it in soup or just dipped in soy sauce or with Natto and sesame oil) I figured with now my children liking it my budget was getting to crazy for mochi for everyone. It was time to break down and buy the machine and the step down voltage so I can actually use it. All we need now is instructions to make it and what buttons to push.

[@peternewson2275]

Just found a panasonic one at a thrift shop for $5. Gonna try and figure it out tomorrow

[@VirakNgauv]

How did it go?

[@peternewson2275]

@@VirakNgauv worked great! Tried first with Calrose rice as an experiment, which was not glutinous enough, and it sort of just ended up like sticky rice. Used the actual sweet rice you're supposed to use and it turned out amazing.

[@VirakNgauv]

@@peternewson2275 Oh, good to know! I don't have a device but good to know that the result sounds pretty sensitive to the type of rice you're using. I was thinking of just trying with the rice I have on-hand but perhaps that's a bad idea, bahaha.

[@honeybunz4353]

My makes her mochi in a bread machine and it's the best! 😋 😋 😋

[@skyzmo4330]

These videos where you find these gadgets to review are so fun to watch.

[@danielp763]

@4:37 What good advice from Esther: if you've never had mochi before, buy this $300 machine to try it.

[@darkvoid8512]

Its great advice buddy

[@czmistyatl]

i once try to grow my own strawberry...try to be organic...bought 5 dollars strawberry plants...for the entire summer, i have to fight against bugs, birds..and finally only got two strawberry..out of my plants...meanwhile....organic strawberry 2 boxs for 5 dollars in grocery store............same logic here...

[@happytrails1963]

Mochi is magical! It may have been helpful to show mochi in action like making Zenzai (Oshiruko) or mochi with adzuki bean fill inside

[@soixantecroissants]

One of the first gadgets to pass the test!

[@pancalwalik266]

Can it mix with grated coconut? it will be a "Pulut", traditional rice cake from south east asia

[@indisummers4385]

Just so you know, these machines may require a transformer/converter from Japanese volts to American wattage.

[@thegourmetgrandadandfamily]

Those *MACHINES* are so Expensive, be careful with your hands..I LOVE this great Channel....Like 8 from me.....

[@lizvalentine1811]

Thank you for this! All the instructions were in japanese!

[@eimantastomkevicius2685]

The guy was disappointed with this ponding party 😂😂😂

[@MaxBraver555]

I thought you were going to do same method, “HAYT HAYT HAYT HAYT”

[@Necolace]

Are you supposed to be using the large impeller for the Zojirushi? We bought it and trying it the first time, it's behaving just like the Tiger one is, just vibrating the rice and not rotating. o_o

[@nantrieu3928]

Có ship sản phẩm Cod về Việt Nam được không bạn?

[@celinez2224]

Your supposed to use a wooden holder thingy they used in the video to make it properly

[@saradigota7201]

isnt it better to dry roast the glutinious rice flour beforehand, so you only need to mix the mixture into the dough...??so you would only need to add warm milk or water..

[@mak3myda3]

i wish they compared this to making mochi from powdered glutenous rice flour in a microwave which takes like two minutes

[@saivang46]

can this machine knead cake dough?

[@magdalenazivkovic4173]

how does ut compare to the microwave method?

[@whatheck6797]

How do you remove the water afterward?

[@stampzalot]

There is no water left. Steams the rice.

[@jadonbradford5119]

If you used normal rice instead of sweet rice would it make korean rice cakes?

[@ff82800]

No. I've tried it once with regular rice, it was awful. For Korean rice cake I believe you should use the glutinous rice, cmiiw tho..

[@princealbertz]

The title should be which machine is better at making mochi

[@ziljin]

That mochi looks delicious!

[@jy4266]

Looking forward to the next Pounding Party.

[@daniswara1164]

While pounding you should add water little by little until you reached your desired texture. The traditional pounding method also add them through the craftman's wet hand

[@heyjojo1998]

I love mochi but can't afford $400 for the machine! Lol. Great video btw. 😄

[@arain764niara]

Someone above said they use gluttonous rice flour and microwave with water

[@jncchang176]

I’m not spending $300-400 for a mochi maker when my $10 rice cooker and a $30 bread maker can do it perfectly. How many appliances do I need to buy?

[@jjbenb]

I’ve tried using this with brown rice but it doesn’t ever break it down fully. Any recommendations?

[@jenniferpearce1052]

Brown rice will still have husks. You need to get short grain glutinous rice. I don't think you could break down the husks with any amount of pounding.

[@strangulator42]

keep up the good work Esther!!!

[@rsyaefurrochman]

Auntie Esther 😍

[@jxyooj301]

I have the Tiger Brand one and best investment yet...

[@AK-lr3lf]

I was expecting something different when I went searching for Pounding party

[@maxinelurie5472]

I just do it in my bread maker on dough setting

[@recoil53]

I'm guessing a good mixer (metal gears, enough power) would do a decent job.

[@QuickQuips]

@@recoil53 Just One Cookbook has a recipe using a stand mixer and rice cooker.

[@JakeTheCatGamer]

Well if you never had a Mochi before it would be better to buy some instead of buying a machine that makes one since that would be way way *WAY CHEAPER* than buying the machine

[@rvd1269]

For $400 US dollars, I could go to my supermarket and get XX boxes of Mochiko, XX bags of sugar, a set of food coloring, vanilla extract and a couple cans of red bean paste or poppy seed filling and make many homemade mochi. 🍚🍡 🧐

[@mellodees3663]

Would it make good Korean rice cakes?

[@PinayAdventuresUSA]

I Love Mochi

[@srenohms4608]

Great content👌

[@johnnychang4233]

How different is Japanese mochi from Korean Garae-tteok?

[@FieldsOfJoyMTL]

Can these machines also function as regular rice cookers? $200-400 is a lot for a machine that only makes mochi =(

[@MrNeuroticRA]

Can I make rice noodle with this?

[@brocolli17]

Oooooor just go to your local asian super market and buy a pack of em.

[@heekyongheitz9839]

JrdyBrzy when it gets out of the machine and still warm, it taste the best. On top of that, you never know what they put it in the mochi.

[@MaxItUpwithMarta]

What kind of rice do I buy?"

[@Imajin]

So... not only Japanese eat mocha. So... for the last 30 to 46 years Hmongs have made mochi in a mixer. Fun fact!

[@MyPugBiscuit]

GypsyRose Ding I’m Hmong too! My grandma made it in a bread maker 😊

[@TheMangoSeeds]

Yes, a lot of South East Asian countries make and eat Mochi. Mochi originates from China (but not called Mochi, different names from difference countries/places).

[@pde442]

Awesome video

[@Der_Arathok]

But: can you make E-Mochi? Eh? Eh? Alright im gonna show myself out.

[@kntseeg]

How much rice and water did you use for each machine?

[@LunarRainbow1]

It’s making me Nervous ! Pounding on the counter top 😭 scratches?!?!?!?!

[@coreyadams1982]

I love me some Esther Choi

[@SERI0USWEAP0N]

I love mochi too, except I like my $400 more.

[@MrMCKlebeband]

1:57 comon ian, join me in the pounding UwU

[@robinnightfall6680]

It's perfect

[@jessiemoore2098]

Wow

[@laoilli]

Wonder if u can make noodles out of it

[@kelvpoon]

She's so cool

[@Katsurisan]

Mochi is best with anko!

[@TY-ob7fz]

Hi Esther. In Canto is called yoauti. We fill with chopped peanuts, shredded coconut and granulated sugar aka table sugar. Then mold to a three inch ball and coat with corn starch. Eat while is fresh. There was a storefront in NYC Chinatown that was famous for that on division street overlooking the Manhattan bridge, Nom Fung opened around the 80's also know for their soft rice rolls filled with dried shrimp scallion and sesame seeds. A new place called the Hak Box under the Manhattan bridge is doing that now.

[@bibilette7720]

Ok but now much water how much flour please give us quantities.

[@MikeTrieu]

So you're saying if you've never tried mochi before, you should immediately buy an expensive machine to make it the possibly one time just to try it out? 🤔

[@danielt6689]

That "hand-made" version was as authentic as a cooking demonstration in a preschooler's play kitchen. I like Esther and the show but this one is a fail. It's painfully obvious that she's never made mochi - machine or handmade - in her life.

[@yikes7946]

nice ad tho

[@thihal123]

Just a correction: Chinese also have mochi, it’s just not called mochi. It’s called nuomici in Chinese Mandarin. I believe Koreans also have mochi.

[@TheMangoSeeds]

I saw another comment saying the same thing. Yes, a lot of South East Asian countries make and eat Mochi. Mochi originates from China (but not called Mochi, different names from difference countries/places). The West and most Japanese themselves believes most things that are Japanese actually originates from China like Sushi, chopsticks, mochi etc.

[@Chilax]

I'm Asian self is kinda mad she left some rice in the bowls.

[@nakahama]

you can always blend water + sticky rice and then microwave for a few minutes, then open the door, give it a mix and then back for some more minutes. Saved you 400 bucks

[@kellyg31]

They recommended people get a $200+ gadget if they have never tried mochi before? (4:34). This review was either bias or clueless.

[@CriticalEatsJapan]

Next, use two of your gadgets and make mochi ice cream... ;)

[@kathiecrocker1118]

Mmmm mochi. I have to Google a recipe. Not buying a machine for hundreds of dollars that does only one job.

[@deniseedit.]

Can't you just use the kneader attachment on a Kitchenaid?

[@tungadilla]

Ian was happy to be part of the pounding party.

[@woolfel]

there is the easier approach using sweet rice flour. faster, cheaper and easier. Texture isn't as good as traditional method, but still good enough to eat :)

[@Nayphun]

Why couldn't you be bothered to do another batch to actually compare it. Just an advert for the machines at this point.