Black Sesame Soup With Mochi Recipe
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Recipe Overview
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients Needed
- 150g/5ozs black sesame paste
- 1.5 cups/375ml/13fl oz water
- 70g/2.8oz white sugar
- 2 teaspoons glutinous rice flour mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 4 large 4 small black sesame mochi
- Pinch white sesame seeds (optional)
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1 SOUP - Whisk the black sesame paste with the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and place on low to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Whisk the rice flour and water and add this slurry to the black sesame mix and stir to thicken for a few minutes. Set aside.
Step 2 MOCHI - Meanwhile while the soup is cooking, cook the mochi balls. Fill a small saucepan with 3 inches of water and once boiling, add the frozen mochi balls. After 3-4 minutes of rapid boiling they should float to the top. Strain and divide among soup bowls. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds (optional).
Personal Note
As I mentioned, we grew up on eating these sweet soups as dessert. There were very few cakes in my childhood. I think my mother made a lemon cheesecake once and it was delicious but it was a one-off. She would sometimes steam a yum cha cake but that was the closest we would come to a cake regularly.
Our dessert world was full of jellies and sweet soups. I don't think I've told you this story before but once my father promised my sister and I that he was going to make our favourite dessert. Blythe and I love peanut soup (similar to this, using ground peanuts).
That afternoon we watched him prep it. We were a bit confused because we couldn't see any peanuts and nothing was cooking on the stove. We were kids but we had an idea how it was made. He was busy mixing things on the counter that was too tall for us to see but the smell was not hitting. But he continued to tell us how much we would enjoy this once it was done and to be patient. Our mouths were watering in anticipation.
A few hours later it was time for dessert. And my father unveiled his dessert. He set down the container on the dining table and lifted the lid.
It was not peanut soup. It was almond jelly!
Our screams of disappointment could be heard by neighbours. "Almond jelly! Yuck!!" we both exclaimed. I don't know how the miscommuncation occured but all of that effort from him was completely unappreciated by us. And to this day, we dislike almond jelly but adore peanut soup!
So tell me Dear Reader, have you ever had black sesame soup? Do you like sweet dessert soups?