These purple sweet potato mochi are vegan, gluten-free and incredibly easy to make! The soft and squishy dough only requires 4 ingredients--mochiko rice flour, mashed purple sweet potato, water and a dusting of cornstarch. The best part? It can be made in the microwave in mere minutes! The purple sweet potato adds a subtle natural sweetness and provides a dose of antioxidants that make this mochi wholesome, healthy and perfect for any time of the day!
last updated 6/3/23 - new photos! the color of the mochi is a different shade of purple because purple sweet potatoes naturally come in various purple hues
Ingredients Used to Make Microwave Mochi
**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂
- Purple Sweet Potato – this recipe uses mashed purple sweet potato which are a kind of Asian sweet potatoes that have a thicker, heavier flesh than orange sweet potatoes when baked. The dense texture is almost like a baked russet potato. Purple sweet potato (also called Japanese Purple Sweet Potato or Okinawan Sweet Potato) can be found in most Asian grocery stores.
Note: While you can steam or bake the sweet potatoes, I used the microwave to cook the sweet potatoes in just about 10 minutes! Here's the shortcut microwave method.
- Glutinous Rice Flour - this goes by many names. You'll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. ***Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!
Water - you'll need plain water, but it's best if warm or room temperature
Cornstarch - for dusting the mochi
What to use for mochi filling
- Purple Sweet Potato Filling - recipe here,
Or alternatively, you can use
- Sweetened White Bean Paste (a.k.a. Shiro An) – Shiro an is a thick and sweet fudgy paste made from finely mashed white beans, usually large butter beans or cannellini beans. It’s a hugely popular ingredient in East Asia and widely used in Asian confectionary and desserts like mochi, sweetbreads, cookies as well as mooncakes. Unfortunately, it’s not always stocked in most Asian grocery stores. Here’s one brand I found on Amazon (here).
- Alternatively, you can use red bean paste, or mung bean paste. Even ice cream. If you need more ideas, check out my different mochi filling ideas here in this post! --> 10+ Different Mochi Fillings, Recipes & Ideas for More Homemade Mochi
More Sweet Potato Recipes (HERE)
Step by Step
Easy Purple Sweet Potato Mochi in the Microwave
STEP 1
Bake, steam or microwave purple sweet potatoes until completely cooked. Use a fork to mash the cooked purple sweet potatoes.
STEP 2
In a microwave-safe bowl (preferably glass, like pyrex), mix the sweet rice flour with the mashed purple sweet potato, using your hands to incorporate the purple sweet potato into the flour best you can
STEP 3
Add the water.
STEP 4
Microwave this mixture in the microwave for 1 minute. Once it's out, use a solid metal spoon to stir the cooked mochi mixture. Return to microwave and heat for additional 1 minute.
NOTE: You'll know when it is ready when the dough is slightly translucent
STEP 5
Drop the hot mochi dough onto a surface floured with cornstarch and flatten into a rectangular shape about 8 x 6 inch in size.
NOTE: Handle with care, or use vinyl gloves, as the mochi dough will be HOT.
STEP 6
Use kitchen shears/ scissors to cut the mochi into pieces
STEP 7
Wrap the mochi dough around the prepared filling (either the purple sweet potato filling or white bean paste) and dust the finished mochi with more cornstarch
STEP 8
Repeat with the remaining 5 pieces of mochi dough
STEP 9
Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Mochi Variations
- You can also use regular (orange) sweet potatoes instead of the purple sweet potato. Here's a link to my other sweet potato mochi recipe! The filling on this recipe is ice cream, but you're welcome to use sweetened bean paste.
Different Mochi Filling Options
If you want to enjoy mochi with a variety of fillings, there are many fun and delicious mochi filling options to choose from. Here are some ideas!
- Shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) – on Amazon, here, or here's a Shortcut White Bean Paste Recipe I make when I’ve run out of Shiro An
- Koshi-an (sweetened red bean paste) – on Amazon, here
- Mung Bean paste - sweet and delightfully yellow, homemade mung bean paste is a perfect mochi filling for those who are looking for a healthier bean paste alternative. Here's my 2-Ingredient mung bean paste recipe here
How to Store Purple Sweet Potato Mochi
- The mochi can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, I would freeze the mochi in a plastic freezer bag or an airtight container, then defrost at room temperature when ready to eat.
- The reason I don't recommend storing them in the fridge is that mochi usually tend to develop a weird waxy, hard texture when stored in the fridge. So eat within a day or freeze for best results.
Final Tips
- Use a solid metal spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mochi mixture so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
- Use a microwave-safe bowl, preferably glass like pyrex
Easy Purple Sweet Potato Mochi Recipe
Ingredients
Mochi Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mashed purple sweet potato about 84 g
- ½ cup mochiko flour, sweet rice or glutinous rice flour about 70 g
- ½ cup water , 120 g
- 1 Tbsp corn, potato or tapioca starch , for dusting the mochi
Filling of Choice (Choose ONE below)
- ½ package sweetened white bean paste (shiro an) , storebought or homemade
- 1 recipe PURPLE SWEET POTATO FILLING , also can use mashed purple sweet potato
Instructions
Prepare the filling (optional)
- Prepare mochi filling by rolling about 1-2 Tablespoons of the mochi filling of choice into balls. Set aside.
- Sprinkle the starch onto a clean dish or baking pan. Set aside.
Make the Mochi
- In a microwaveable glass bowl (like Pyrex), mix the mashed purple sweet potato , sweet rice flour. Use your hands to try and incorporate the purple sweet potato into the flour the best you can.
- Add in water and stir mixture using spoon.
- Microwave the mixture for 60 seconds
- Use a SOLID METAL spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mochi so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
- Microwave the mochi mixture again, for another 60 seconds. Stir until the dough is slightly glossy and translucent.
- Pour the cooked mochi onto the baking pan sprinkled with starch
- Cut the mochi into 6 pieces using scissors or a dough cutter.
- Eat as is, or fill with prepared filling. Enjoy!
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