Mochi Pounding Day: Commas and Quotation Marks

Pounding Mochi

1Mochi is a soft, chewy rice cake from Japan. It is made from a kind of short-grain rice that becomes very sticky when it is cooked. Many families in Japan make mochi to welcome the New Year, and some families in other countries keep the tradition too.

2The work starts the night before. The rice is rinsed and left to soak in cold water. In the morning, it is steamed until it is soft. Then the hot rice goes into a large, deep bowl called a mortar. Many mortars are carved from wood or stone.

3Next comes the pounding. One person lifts a heavy wooden mallet and brings it down on the rice. A partner kneels beside the mortar. Between strikes, the partner quickly wets the rice and turns it over. The two must keep a steady rhythm so that no one gets hurt. Bit by bit, the grains mash together into one smooth, stretchy ball of dough. The pounding can take quite a long time.

4When the dough is ready, it is pulled into small pieces and rolled into balls. Cooks dust their hands with starch so the mochi does not stick to them. Some mochi is filled with sweet bean paste. Other pieces are toasted, added to soup, or simply eaten fresh.

5Pounding mochi is hard work, but it is also a time to gather. Neighbors take turns with the mallet, children cheer each strike, and everyone shares the finished cakes. Many people say that fresh mochi tastes best when it is made together.