What does mochi mean in Hawaii?

Pounding Mochi

Growing up in Hawaii and being Japanese we would make mochi at the end of every year and eat it for good luck. Mochi is something that we believe will stray away the bad spirits and bring in gook luck for the upcoming year. Many Japanese drink mochi soup also and eat red fish but our family would just pound mochi and put it in our house for good luck. Mochi can be pounded using the mallet or kine and the usu or stone which the mochi is in. It’s a time where the family would get together and each family member would have a role in producing the ono mochi. The men would steam the rice and be in charge of the pounding of the mochi. Once the mochi is pounded and deemed ready for eating the women would role the mochi in balls and put black beans in it. Mochi was the start of bringing in a prosperous New Year along with the cracking of fireworks. Check out this website if you want to learn about mochi and other Japanese customs

Mochi that is placed in the house for goodluck along with a tangerine.

Process of becoming Mochi

1. Let the glutinous rice soak in water overnight
- Glutinous rice also known as sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice,
mochi rice, and pearl rice) is a short grained Asian rice that becomes sticky when
cooked. Glutinous is a Latin word that means sticky or glue like and containing
no gluten.
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