Mochi: the Japanese cake that kills (but is delicious)

A Japanese speciality that I first discovered in Thailand, mochi is a preparation based on sticky rice which, once kneaded, takes the shape of a dumpling.

This same preparation is the basis for the famous Chinese coconut beads that I knew and appreciated for much longer.
The toppings can vary but the mochi I like the most is topped with a strawberry, sometimes coated with chocolate.
The preparation of the mochi can be very impressive, judge for yourself through these two videos taken in Nara in front of the famous Nakatanidou.


Mochi is also known to be a killer cake! Japanese people eat an average of 1kg each per year, mainly during the New Year celebrations. Mochi being particularly viscous, it is necessary to take care to chew it well or else one will choke if one does not take enough time. It causes several deaths each year.
You can find mochis everywhere: from 100 yen in industrial version in supermarkets.

However, prefer the artisanal versions that you will find in small pastries. More expensive (between 150 and 250 yens) but much better.

It is also available in the form of skewers, without garnish, much less gustatory interest in my opinion.