Taste the layers of flavor with these fresh strawberries wrapped in red bean paste and soft mochi. Daifuku has been a popular dessert in Japan since the 1980’s! Enjoy within 48 hours for the best texture.
Cook Time
2 hr 10 min
Total Time
5 hr
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Red Bean Paste
½ cup adzuki beans (100 g), preferably from hokkaido
1 ¾ cups filtered water (420 g), divided
⅓ cup organic sugar (75 g)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Mochi Dough
½ cup mochiko (75 g), sweet rice flour
⅓ cup organic sugar (75 g)
1 teaspoon dragon fruit powder
½ cup filtered water (120 g)
cornstarch, for dusting
Strawberry Filling
4 large strawberries, stemmed and hulled (25–30 grams each)
Nutrition Info
Calories 163
Fat 0g
Carbs 39g
Fiber 7g
Sugar 24g
Protein 1g
How to Make It
1. Step
Make the red bean paste: Rinse the adzuki beans in a colander under cold running water. Pick out any damaged beans and discard.
2. Step
Add the beans and 1¼ cups (300 grams) of water to a rice cooker. Cook on the “normal” setting for about 1½ hours. The beans should still be firm.
3. Step
Transfer the beans back to the colander and rinse under cold running water. Return the beans to the rice cooker and add the remaining ½ cup (120 grams) of water. Cook on the “normal” setting for another 1½ hours, until the beans are very tender and cooked through.
4. Step
Add the sugar and salt and stir to combine with a rubber spatula. Close the lid of the rice cooker and let sit for 30 minutes for the beans to absorb the sugar.
5. Step
Transfer the beans to a medium bowl and mash with a wooden spoon until mostly smooth.
6. Step
Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the bean paste on the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool to room temperature, until pliable with a texture similar to play dough. If too dry, refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight, to chill. If it is too sticky, microwave in 90-second intervals until the water has evaporated. The red bean paste will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Let come to room temperature before proceeding.
7. Step
Make the mochi dough: In a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the mochiko, sugar, dragon fruit powder, and water until very smooth. Push the dough through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean microwave-safe bowl if needed to remove any lumps. (Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth).
8. Step
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave the dough in 60-second intervals, stirring between, until the mochi is halfway transparent, 3–4 minutes total. Continue microwaving in 15–30-seconds intervals, stirring between, until fully transparent and glossy, 1–2 minutes more.
9. Step
Use a sieve to generously dust a clean surface with cornstarch.
10. Step
Turn the mochi dough onto the dusted surface and let the steam release for about 1 minute. Dust the dough with more cornstarch. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a ½-inch-thick 6-inch square. With a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 4 3-inch squares.
11. Step
Make the daifuku: Roll the red bean paste into 4 small balls, about 15 grams each. Flatten a ball in the palms of your hands and wrap around a strawberry, starting from the bottom tip and up and over the stem end (if your hands are too sticky, very lightly dampen with water). Repeat with the remaining strawberries. Place the wrapped fruit on a tray and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
12. Step
Assemble the mochi: Set a square of mochi dough in your palm. Place a wrapped strawberry in the center of the mochi with the bottom tip pointing down. Bring the edges of the dough up and over the strawberry to seal. If it is too sticky, dust your fingers with cornstarch. Blot the seam side on the cornstarch-dusted surface and trim off any excess mochi dough if necessary (save the scraps for a snack). Set the mochi seam-side down and repeat with the remaining dough and fruit.
13. Step
Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
