Mochi is a very popular traditional Japanese dessert that causes different victims for suffocation every year. That’s why it is considered the most dangerous dessert in the world, what it contains and how to prepare it without taking risks.
There is a dessert, in Japan, which looks like a harmless bite of happiness. A small candid sphere, soft to the touch, with a kind and almost poetic appearance. Is called Mochi And it is a symbol of good omen for the new year. But do not be fooled by his tender air: every January, this apparently innocent dessert reaps different victims. And there is no mention of allergies, intoxications or passenger ailments, but of suffocations, often fatal.
A lethal tradition
In the country of the Rising Sun the New Year is sacred. It represents a moment of reflection, of auspices, of conviviality, and, as in all cultures, the holidays are accompanied by food. Mochi is a constant in every Japanese house. Prepared with glutinous rice pesta for a long time until a smooth and dense pasta is obtained, it is handled by hand in small balls, then stuffed with sweet ingredients. The most traditional? The Anko, the famous cream of sweet red beans, or vanilla ice cream, but there are dozens of variants.
Nevertheless, Every year, dozens of people – in particular the elderly – lose their lives after eating aor. Why? The reason is simpler (and frightening) than it seems: Mochi is rubbery, compact, tenacious. A consistency that may seem pleasant to the tasting, but that becomes dangerous if it does not chew with due attention.
Just a bite, a distraction, a sip of water at the wrong time. The sticky pasta can adhere to the palate, obstruct the respiratory tract and make each attempt to breathe a desperate company. The Japanese news is full of such episodes. And every 31 December, punctual, the authorities release the usual notice: “cut the mochi into small pieces before eating it”.
How is it really done?
Preparing the mochi in the house is a ritual, not complicated, but rather long. It starts from glutinous ricewhich is not the common risotto rice, but a very rich variety of starch, responsible for that viscose consistency as appreciated as it is insidious. The rice is steam cooked and then pounded vigorously with a large wooden hammer in a mortar. A team work, often done in pairs: one plague, the other turns the dough, for a process in which coordination, strength and precision are needed.
Once the mass is obtained, he detaches himself into pieces and work with the floured hands of corn starch, to prevent it from attacking. In the center, you can insert a filling: the aforementioned anko, but also jams, fruit, ganache or matches, green tea in powder with a vegetable and intense taste. Mochi can be served fresh or slightly toasted, while in some more modern versions it is filled with ice cream and frozen, a solution that makes it easier for the chewing, even if there is a food to be faced with extreme caution.
Why does it continue to taste?
It is the question that everyone ask themselves. How can such a dangerous dessert continue to be consumed with such ease? The answer, perhaps, lies in his profound link with Japanese culture, since Mochi represents the family union, prosperity, renewal. Each bite has the flavor of tradition, of the past that is renewed. Give up would be, for many, how to remove panettone from Christmas.
Then there is the taste factor. Mochi has a unique texture, difficult to describe to those who have never tried it. It is a balance between softness and resistance, between delicate sweetness and new tactile sensations. It is not a dessert to eat absently: it requires presence, respect and patience.
How much it costs, and where to find it
In Japan, A Mochi costs about 200 yen, just over a euroand it can be found almost everywhere: in supermarkets, in the pastry shops, in the partnerships. Also in Italy he began to make his way, especially in ethnic shops and Japanese cuisine restaurants. Some industrial versions are softer and less dangerous, but the authentic artisan Mochi remains a totalizing experience.
Tips for those wishing to try it
If you have intrigued yourself, and you want to try this reckless dessert, keep some simple rules in mind:
Mochi is a gastronomic masterpiece, which however conceals a dark side. Eating it is not a game: it is almost a ritual, which requires a lot of awareness.
