The question is what is mochi is asked by many onlookers. We all know it is a sticky and gooey rice ball mixture, but what is the mixture made of? The answer is basically it is a rice characterized by its lack of amylose in starch, a rice called mochigome. Now you get it?

In mochi rice, the amylose content is negligible which results in the soft jelly like consistency of mochi. In fact amylose is an important ingredient in rice because it is known as RS, Resistant starch, a starch that escape from digestion in the small intestine. Resistant starch is considered the third type of dietary fiber, as it can deliver some of the benefits of insoluble fiber and some of the benefits of soluble fiber.

These are the first steps to preparing the rice for making mochi: