Warabi Mochi Recipe with Bracken Starch or Tapioca Starch

Warabi mochi is a Japanese dessert traditionally made with bracken starch or warabiko. It's usually dusted with soybean powder (kinako) and drizzled with Japanese brown sugar syrup (kuromitsu).

Although tasteless without toppings, it's soft and jelly-like, making it a fun and unique gem. Similar to Japanese raindrop cake and sakura mochi, it's a must-try if you like unique traditional teatime desserts.

Our warabi mochi recipe will show you how to make this Japanese dessert at home. We'll also show you how to make it with tapioca starch when you can't find bracken starch overseas.

Jump to:

• What Is Warabi Mochi?
• Taste
• Ingredients
• Cooking Tips
• Warabi Mochi Recipe
• Toppings
• What Is Warabi?
• Calories

What Is Warabi Mochi?

It has a clean and refreshing look, and people often enjoy it during summer. In addition, this Japanese wagashi is gluten-free and dairy-free. Hence, it is a great dessert option for many, especially health watchers.

It's a speciality of the Kansai region in Japan but is also popular in other areas such as Okinawa. However, this little treat isn't globally famous like the typical mochi we all know. Perhaps it is because the ingredients are not easily found everywhere, especially outside Japan.

Despite being named mochi, it is also quite different from the traditional wagashi made from glutinous rice. In fact, it is only called such because of its similar squishy texture. This Japanese dessert is not as chewy as traditional mochi and has a jelly-like texture. Instead, warabi mochi is translucent, soft, jiggly, and dissolves quickly.

Taste

Surprisingly, the mochi is almost tasteless without toppings and tastes similar to plain tapioca pearls and raindrop cake. 

However, the roasted soybean powder gives the Japanese wagashi a unique nutty flavour. It also adds a bit of savouriness to the treat. The brown sugar syrup then compliments the soybean powder amazingly with its sweetness.

Ingredients

Here are the key ingredients you'll need to make Japanese warabi mochi at home.

• hon warabiko (bracken starch) or tapioca starch
• sugar
• water
• kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup)
• kinako powder (soybean flour)

Bracken Starch or Tapioca Starch

Hon Warabiko is pure bracken starch used to make warabi mochi. It is usually brown but can sometimes be blackish. It is easier to find in Japan, but it is almost impossible to find it outside the country.

If you use warabi bracken starch to make warabi mochi, it will give you the most authentic taste. Unfortunately, there are a few disadvantages. Not only is it hard to find overseas, but it also makes the dessert have a very short shelf life, so you have to eat it within a day.

A close substitute to bracken starch for our recipe is tapioca starch. It will give a similar bouncy texture with a bit of resistance. Of course, it won't make the most authentic version of this snack, but it's still a fantastic substitute. Plus, it lasts longer than pure bracken starch, so you can save your dessert for later.

You will also need to heat the tapioca starch to give the treat a chewy texture. Other than that, it tends to accumulate at the bottom. Therefore, be sure to check the bottom constantly and mix thoroughly. The measurements for it are the same as using bracken starch. However, you should note that it will create a slightly different consistency for the dessert.

Sugar

We recommend using white granulated sugar since it dissolves quickly. You can also use alternatives such as Stevia to make it less sugary, but it will alter the taste.

Kuromitsu (Brown sugar syrup)

You can make your own homemade brown sugar syrup or purchase a ready-made one. We recommend using dark brown sugar to make the kuromitsu from scratch. This is because dark brown sugar contains more molasses, which makes it richer in flavour and more caramel-like.

Kinako powder

Roasted soybean powder is known as Kinako in Japanese. However, you might also find it in Asian supermarkets under the Korean name Konggaru. This ingredient is essential as it contributes to the unique flavour of the dessert. You can get roasted soybean powder online, too.

Cooking Tips

• Cook the mochi on low or medium heat. This will save the sweet treats from getting burnt.
• Ensure that all ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Constantly stir as you heat the mixture. Doing so will also prevent the dough from burning.
• Cut the dough with a sharp knife and push it straight down instead of cutting it in a sawing motion. Otherwise, the dough will tear and stick to the blade, making a mess, which we don't want.
• Dust your cutting board with kinako before cutting the mochi to prevent it from sticking to the surface. Then, sprinkle more kinako on the top to ensure clean-cut pieces.
• If you do not have a cutting board, you can use a baking tray. Layer it with a baking sheet and sprinkle some kinako on the surface beforehand. 
• Refrigerate the mochi for about 20-30 minutes before serving to give it the right consistency. So, make sure to cool it first for the best warabi mochi experience.

Toppings

Kinako soybean flour and brown sugar syrup are the classic toppings for this sweet wagashi. Another common and tasty choice is matcha powder, which goes well with black honey. If you want to make Matcha warabi mochi, we recommend using matcha powder as the topping.

Apart from that, you can pair this Japanese confection with all kinds of other toppings. Some famous twists include topping it with Milo powder, coffee powder, and black sesame powder.

Feel free to top it with anything your heart desires if you are making it yourself. Just be creative with the toppings and let each flavour tickle your tastebuds.

Like most Japanese desserts, this wagashi perfectly balances sweet and savoury.

Other than the traditional flavours, the modernised versions are worth trying as well. The new flavours include houjicha and fruity ones like mango, grapefruit, and pineapple. 

What Is Warabi?

Warabi is the Japanese term for bracken. It is also known as 'fiddleheads'. Bracken is a type of fern that produces starch from the rhizome. It contains 5% starch extracted by grinding up the roots to make pure bracken starch or hon warabiko.

Hon warabiko is a brown starch that requires storage at room temperature. Japanese stores often sell it in small, perishable clumps at a pretty high price. This is because each bracken rhizome only produces a little powder. Yet, it takes a long time to make it. 

Therefore, many Japanese stores would also sell warabi mochiko as an alternative. This option typically consists of other starches, such as tapioca or sweet potato.

Calories

A serving of warabi mochi contains about 200 calories. Nutrition-packed and low in calories, it is a snack that you can enjoy guilt-free. So think of this sweet treat whenever you want to satisfy your sugar cravings.

How did your homemade Japanese treat turn out? Share your photos with us by tagging us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks.