It’s mochi, but with a wild black twist! Made with glutinous wild black rice, this DIY homemade mochi is chock full of antioxidants and good-for-you nutrients, slightly nutty than your average white mochi and gorgeously purple! Keep reading to see how you can make this at home using a mochi maker.
I’m so excited to share this recipe with you guys! My Brown Rice Mochi post has been the most popular post in my blog so far, and it’s no doubt inspired me to experiment with more awesome mochi recipes, like my 2-ingredient sweet potato dango and tofu mochi which is all made in the microwave!
This one is probably one my my wildest experiments so far, because I decided to try making mochi using glutinous wild black rice.
What is Glutinous Wild Black Rice?
Wild Black Rice (also called Forbidden Rice) is just another variant of rice used in many East Asian cooking. Apparently it used to be a delicacy in China, and only the rich could afford to eat it. While it’s still pricier than your average rice, there are so many health benefits of black rice that make this worth the buy! The dark and rich purple-black color comes from the pigment anthocyanin, a powerful antioxidant that has anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, and anti-cancer benefits.
In fact, wild black rice boasts the highest antioxidant activity of any kind of rice, even more than blueberries!
More reasons to love this recipe:
- it’s naturally gluten free as well as whole grain
- sticky, sweet and slightly nutty
- the color is the bomb~
- has countless nutritional benefits – it’s high in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins and minerals
- It’s good for your eyes and heart
- Great for boosting immune health
Ingredients & Equipment
**I’ve linked some of these ingredients and equipment 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 🙂
- Glutinous Wild Black Rice (also called Black sweet white rice) – glutinous rice is different from regular white rice in that it has a sticky, supple, chewy texture when cooked. When steamed and pounded, it becomes the “mochi” or “sweet rice cake” (as we Koreans call it) that is popularly sold in East Asian dessert shops or stores. Here are some brands of Glutinous Wild Black Rice I found online that do work:
- You can also use Glutinous White or Brown Rice to make mochi.
⚠️ Do PLEASE note that the results will BE VERY DIFFERENT AND NOT THE SAME when using regular wild black rice or forbidden rice. So double-check and make sure you’re using Glutinous or Sweet Wild Black Rice when making mochi!
- Mochi Maker- A mochi maker lets you easily turn rice into mochi. I guess it’s sort of an equivalent to bread makers for us Asians? The big two brands are Tiger and Zojirushi. You put the raw (uncooked), soaked rice into the mochi maker and let it steam and pound the rice into mochi! It’s a handy appliance to have at home if you like mochi and intend to make them regularly, and I like it better than making mochi from rice flour since
- the whole grain rice is less processed than rice flour
- cost-saving (since rice is usually cheaper than the flour) **but the machine is expensive so this is true only if you make and eat a lot of mochi!**
- makes less of a mess and easier to clean
Other Mochi Maker Recipes
How to Make
How to Make Wild Black Rice Mochi
STEP 1
Wash and rinse the glutinous wild black rice until the water is no longer cloudy.
STEP 2
Soak the rice in water (2 cups of water per 1 cup of rice) in a bowl or large container overnight, about 12 hours. Then drain the rice and refill the water so that it’s above the rice. Cover the bowl or container and place in the fridge for another 36 to let the black sweet rice absorb the water and become more tender. With WHITE sweet rice the soaking process is much shorter, just 8-12 hours. The process is similar when using BROWN sweet rice.
STEP 3
After soaking, drain and grind the black sweet rice in a food processor until you get a flour that resembles coarse sand. Transfer the ground rice to the steamer bowl. While this step is optional, this step breaks down the rough outer husk of the wild rice (which has been removed in the white rice) and helps ensure that the black rice mochi is smooth.
STEP 4
Prepare the mochi maker by filling it with 2 cups of water (there is a separate area for this, right below where the steamer bowl should be placed).
STEP 5
Fit the steamer bowl into the machine, then fill with the ground glutinous wild black rice
STEP 6
Close the lid and press STEAM (an alarm will go off when it’s done, about 30 minutes)
STEP 7
Open lid and press POUND when the machine is done steaming the rice.
STEP 8
Add the salt, sugar and water as the rice starts mixing. Use AT LEAST 1/2 cup water and add more as the mochi continues to pound. Glutinous Wild Black Rice is tougher than white or brown rice, so without the extra water the machine has to work very hard to keep it turning.
STEP 9
⚠️ For the glutinous wild black rice, you may have to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl as the mochi churns. Also add more water if necessary.
STEP 10
The mochi will take about 5 minutes to become more smooth
STEP 11
There isn’t an alarm for when the mochi is finished pounding so you’ll have to eyeball it and stop the machine when the mochi looks smooth and supple (about 15-20 minutes)
STEP 12
Pour the finished mochi dough onto a a tray greased with sesame oil, and use a silicone spatula or wet/oiled fingers to press the mochi dough into the pan.
STEP 13
Turn over the mochi once cooled, and use scissors to cut into squares
STEP 14
Eat as is, or save for later by freezing them in one layer inside a large gallon Ziploc bag. Defrost at room temperature or microwave when ready to eat.
Variations / Other Ways You Can Enjoy Mochi
1. STUFFING IDEAS
- Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An): I eat this stuff by spoonfuls! It’s a versatile ingredient that goes inside my sweet rice mochi recipe as well my tofu mochi recipe, but it’s also used as fillings inside sweet breads, pancakes, cookies and more. You can find Sweetened Red Bean paste in most Asian grocery stores, and online (Amazon).
- Sweetened White Bean Paste (a.k.a. Shiro An)
- Icecream
- Check out more recipes below
2. Waffled!
How to Waffle Glutinous Wild Black Rice Mochi
Lay the mochi squares on a pre-heated waffle iron, cook for about 3 minutes and watch it puff up! See the full recipe here
Is “Glutinous” Rice Gluten-Free?
Yes, it is! The word “glutinous” refers to the sticky, glutinous texture / consistency of the rice, not the “gluten” that’s found in most wheat products. That’s why rice is a terrific choice for those following a gluten-free diet.
More Mochi Posts You’ll Love
Wild Black Sweet Rice Mochi (Using a Mochi Maker)
Ingredients
SOAK THE RICE IN WATER OVERNIGHT
- 5 cups glutinous wild black rice uncooked, whole grain
- enough water for soaking
ADD TO THE STEAMER
- 2 cups of water
ADD DURING THE POUNDING PROCESS
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar of choice optional
- 1/4 to 1/2 cups of water optional
USE AFTER THE MOCHI IS OUT OF THE MACHINE
- sesame olive, canola or vegetable oil
- mochi filling such as sweetened beans, icecream or Nutella
Instructions
- Wash, rinse then soak the 5 cups of glutinous wild black rice in 8-10 cups of water in a bowl or large container overnight (about 8-12 hours). Drain the rice and refill the water so that it's above the rice. Cover the bowl or container and place in fridge for another 36 to let the brown rice absorb the water and become more tender*
- After soaking, drain and grind the glutinous wild black rice in a food processor until you get a flour that resembles coarse sand. Transfer the ground rice to the steamer bowl.
- Prepare the mochi maker by filling it with 2 cups of water (there is a separate area for this, right below where the steamer bowl should be placed).
- Fit the steamer bowl (with the ground rice) into the machine.
- Close the lid and press STEAM (an alarm will go off when it’s done)
- Press POUND when the machine is done steaming the rice.
- Open the lid and sprinkle in the salt and sugar. Add the water, along with the optional coloring.
- Allow the mochi to pound for 15-20 minutes and stop the machine. Pour into a well greased pan and let cool.
- Use scissors or a sharp knife to slice and portion the mochi. Enjoy!
Notes
This looks so good! My mochi maker is coming in the mail we’re soooo excited!
That IS exciting!
Isn’t there a way to make this without a mochi maker?
I haven’t tried, but you should get similar results by steaming the rice and kneading it. I’m also working on a microwave method –to be posted here when I figure out the right water to rice ratio! Hope this helps