Kung.Fu.Kitchen.S01E02.PDTV.x264-SammY.mp4

Kung Fu Kitchen - Season 1, Episode 2


Mochi (Nara, Japan)
The traditional ceremony of making mochi involves using a large mortar and mallet. One person will pound the hot glutinous rice in a lightning fast and steady rhythm, while another quickly darts his hand into the mortar to wet and turn the rice paste. They must work fast before the rice hardens. There is no room for hesitation or someone will get hurt. Once the rice reaches a fine pasty consistency, the mochi is shaped into sweet or savory balls.

In Nara, Japan, one particular mochi shop is famous for its high-speed mochi pounding technique. They have appeared in various Japanese TV programmes, and have been crowned champions of high-speed mochitsuki. They pound mochi every day in their shop front, and have never failed to attract crowds watching them perform in awe. In the past, mochi is usually made during the colder months. If the mochi is cold when pounded, it does not taste nice. To complete mochi pounding while it is still hot, will result in the correct elasticity and stickiness of the product. In order to achieve the perfection in the taste of the mochi, the high speed mochi pounding technique was created.


Rebroadcast Air Date: 31-Aug-2014