These pumpkin mochi cakes are crispy, tender, and chewy! They only require 3-ingredients: pumpkin purée, glutinous rice flour, amd sugar. The mochi cakes are pan fried, giving them a crispy, golden exterior while the centres remain soft and chewy. Because there are no eggs involved, you can easily scale the recipe up or down.
Makes 12mochi cakes
Ingredients
Pumpkin Mochi
300g(1 1/4 cup) pumpkin purée
260g (2 cups and 3 tbsp) glutinous rice flour
50g(1/4 cup) granulated sugar
Brown Sugar Filling (Optional)
67g(1/3 cup) brown sugar
3g(1 1/2 tsp) all-purpose flour
1tspcinnamon
1/4tspsalt
Instructions
Brown Sugar Filling (Optional)
Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Pumpkin Mochi
In a large bowl, combine pumpkin purée, glutinous rice flour, and sugar with a rubber spatula, mixing until smooth. The mixture will resemble play-doh. If the mixture is too sticky, add more glutinous rice flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball between the palms of your hands.
Using your knuckle, create an indent at the centre of mochi dough. Add 1 - 2 teaspoons of filling to the centre and pinch the dough to seal the filling.
Flatten the filled dough ball between the palms of your hands. Using the dull side of a butter knife, create marks on the side of the mochi to create the shape of a pumpkin. Repeat with remaining dough balls
Heat up a nonstick pan on medium heat. Brush on a thin layer of vegetable oil to the pan.
Add mochi cakes to the heated pan. Fry mochi cakes until golden, about 2 - 3 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the mochi cakes over.
Add 1/4 cup of water to the pan and add a lid to the pan, this will allow the mochi to steam and get tender. Leave lid on for 2 minutes. Remove lid and allow any remaining water to evaporate. Fry the mochi for additional 2 - 3 minutes until mochi cakes are golden and crispy.
Optional: add a pumpkin seed or pistachio for the 'stem' of the pumpkin mochi.