January 1, 2020

Mochi Matcha Bundt Cake

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Mochi Matcha Bundt Cake

January 1: New Year’s Day/National Hot Tea Month

Most Asians have a tradition to eat mochi (glutinous rice flour) desserts on New Year’s Day. The sticky chewy texture of the food symbolizes that luck will stick around all year long while the “rice” spelling resembles the word “rich” for prosperity ahead. We have eaten mochi-based Filipino bibingka and Chinese gau many times before. But here now is our double take on this Japanese-inspired mochi matcha bundt cake recipe. The chocolate cake contains mochi for keeping the new year food tradition while the matcha green tea is for commemorating the month-long food holiday. The two-tone color of this mochi matcha bundt cake is a visual representation of celebrating both New Year’s Day and National Hot Tea Month.

Recipe

(Adapted from PopSugar)

Ingredients

  • 1 box (1 pound) mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons matcha green tea powder
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

Grease a bundt pant and set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the mochiko, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter with the sugar. Stir in the evaporated milk.

Add the vanilla. Beat in the eggs. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients and stir until smooth.

Divide the batter in half into two bowls. To the first bowl, mix in the cocoa powder. To the second bowl, mix in the matcha green tea powder. Stir in the mini chocolate chips into the cocoa powder mixture.

Pour the chocolate batter into the bundt pan first and smooth it out with a spatula. Next, pour the matcha batter on top of the chocolate batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, testing for doneness with a toothpick or wooden skewer. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Invert the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice to reveal the two-tone colored cake. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the slices before serving (optional)

Notes

  • This mochi matcha bundt cake bakes up a dull green but photographs okay in the light. Feel free to add a few drops of green food coloring in the matcha batter and mix well to make the hue brighter when baked.
  • Search our blog for other traditional New Year’s and hot tea recipes.
 

January 1, 2016

Baked Poi Mochi

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Baked Poi Mochi

Baked Poi Mochi

January 1: New Year’s Day

Islander grew up eating Filipino bibingka during the holidays, special occasions and “just because” in Hawaii. Other Asian immigrants on the islands have a similar sweet treat, like Japanese mochi and Chinese gau, for the new year. The glutinous rice is considered an auspicious food. Its stickiness symbolizes that good luck would stick with you throughout the coming year.

In a Hawaiian twist, Islander added poi powder to the mochi and coconut flakes for a tropical taste. We let our haole neighbors try a little bit of poi mochi for a mainland mini makahiki. Some liked its novelty while others were not used to the gooey texture. At least they tried something new for the new year!

Bake poi mochi for the new year and may good luck stick around! Hauoli makahiki hou.

Recipe

(Adapted from Taro Brand)

Ingredients 

  • 2 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour)
  • ½ – ¾ cup poi powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 ½ cup sugar, granulated white
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • 1 (14 ounces) can or 1 ½ cup evaporated milk
  • 5 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • purple food coloring (optional)
  • 1-2 cup coconut flakes (we used unsweetened)

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, combine the mochiko, poi powder, baking powder and sugar.

Baked Poi Mochi

Stir in the milk and evaporated milk. Beat in the eggs. Add the vanilla extract.

Baked Poi Mochi

Melt the butter and cool slightly. Stir into the mixture. Tint with purple food coloring if desired. Fold in the coconut flakes. Pour into a lightly greased 9×13-inch pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour. Check for doneness with a toothpick. Remove from the oven and cool completely before slicing into 24 squares with a plastic knife. Store leftovers in a tightly sealed container.

Baked Poi Mochi

Notes

  • The coconut flakes tend to rise to the top in this recipe, making the crust brown and crunchy. As the top can burn easily, place the pan in the middle or lowest rack in the oven.
  • There are deep-fried versions of poi mochi balls that Islander likes to eat when she finds them while in Hawaii. This baked custard-like version is simpler to make.
  • Mahalo nui loa to Islander’s brother who gifted us with the wooden model poi pounders pictured above.
  • Search our blog for other recipes containing poi as an ingredient.
  • Happy new year to all our blog readers!
 

January 1, 2015

Marsala Veal

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Marsala Veal

January 1: New Year’s Day (2015)

Inspired by the announcement that the Pantone company chose “marsala” as the color of the year for 2015, Islander cooked Marsala Veal for our first dinner of the new year—in our new home in the Gulf Coast area of Texas. We had moved from Southwest Texas only a few weeks ago during the hectic holiday season and are still organizing our kitchen and pantry.

According to Pantone, “Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness.”

We blogged about Marsala Chicken a few years ago. We revisited the recipe and used veal instead of chicken as the “propitious protein” for the new year and, like Pantone’s description of the color, Marsala Veal is a fulfilling meal, especially when served with other auspicious foods, such as noodles (“longevity”) or rice (“riches”).

Enjoy the color of the year as well as this recipe for Marsala Veal. Happy 2015!!!

Recipe
(Adapted from the Food Network)

Ingredients

  • 4-5 veal slices for scallopini
  • flour (seasoned with salt and pepper)
  • olive oil
  • 4 ounces prosciutto, cubed
  • 8 ounces mushrooms (baby bella, crimini, porcini, etc.), stemmed and quartered
  • 1 cup Marsala wine (sweet instead of dry)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (mixed with water to form a paste to thicken the sauce)
  • ¼ cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped and for optional garnish

 

Directions

Dredge the veal in flour, shaking off the excess. Heat a little olive oil over medium heat in a skillet. Fry the veal until both sides are slightly browned, being careful not to overcook the slices or they will not be as tender. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. In the same skillet with the drippings, fry the prosciutto.

Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown. Pour in the Marsala wine and cook for about a minute. Stir in the chicken stock. In a small cup, make a paste with the cornstarch and water. Stir into the sauce to thicken. Put the veal slices back into the skillet. Simmer for about five minutes. Put on a platter and garnish with parsley flakes. Serve with pasta noodles or hot rice with the sauce poured over.

Notes

  • Good luck to Highlander in his new job in the Gulf Coast area of Texas (the reason we moved from our beloved San Antonio). Good luck to all our blog readers in the new year!
  • Search our blog for other new year’s recipes.