Bashodo Warabi Mochi

Since I'll be leaving on a trip to Singapore in about a week's time, I decided that instead of my regular "every other day" posts, I'd do a post every day.  Today and tomorrow, however, I'll be doing two posts.

Earlier this afternoon, I stopped by Shirokiya Department Store located at the Ala Moana Shopping Center.  I frequently come here for the "straight from Japan" foods and confections.  I've done a couple of posts on some of the yummy treats that I've gotten here before. A while back was the ichigo daifuku.  More recently were the cream puffs from Beard Papa.  This latest post is about something called warabi mochi by Bashodo Co, Ltd.

According to what I've read, warabi mochi is made using the roots of the bracken fern (warabi).  The roots are ground into a powder, then filtered, and then finally after months of preparation, they become warabi mochi.

When I got to Shirokiya, there was a sign, as usual, indicating where the warabi mochi was. 

Unlike the setting for Beard Papa's cream puffs, there wasn't really a line, but there were many curious onlookers.  To the left of the preparation area, on one of the counters, were a couple of packages of uncut warabi mochi (that's what it looked like).

(My apologies for not getting a better picture, this looked like a huge slab of "white" konnyaku.)

Here's some of the warabi mochi after it has been dusted with kinako (soy bean flour).

Now the real action.  As I watched, the warabi mochi "sheets" were cut into strips lengthwise, and then cut again, to form cubes.  They were then dusted with kinako, not just once, but twice.  First dusting was right after they were cut.  Second dusting was as they were being packed.

Here's the box of warabi mochi that I took home.  It was US$3.99.

Apparently, this company has been around for a really long time.  On the box, it says "SINCE 1868"!  I wonder if they've made this same warabi mochi all that time?  So what was it like?  See for yourself.

The warabi mochi was soft and slightly sweet.  The texture was so smooth, that like konnyaku, it just slid down my throat.  The kinako had a wonderful flavor and complimented this mochi very well.  After my dinner of sobameshi, I enjoyed this warabi mochi with some green tea.  I'm going back for some more of this warabi mochi tomorrow. 

By the way, sobameshi and warabi mochi are both products of the Kansai region of Japan.  Maybe my dinner had an inspiration.

Comments

[Allen Wong]

Hi Reid,

I haven't even heard of warabi before. I'm imagining that it would have a slightly nutty/herb-like taste. Am I wrong?

It's a great idea to have businesses set up shop in a department store for a few days. How come all the great ideas never get to New York? We need big malls for just food! :D

Allen

[Clinton]

Reid,

I've had a sample of that at Shirokiya's on our last trip back to the islands. Kind of reminded me of a real smoothe chunk of soft gritty mochi...almost like eating a silken chi chi dango rolled in kinako from Nisshodo's which is located on Dillingham. It just melted in my mouth and beckoned me for another sample. My mouth is watering right now!

[Kathy Chan]

Hi Reid,

I've been reading your site for a while, but this is my first comment. As a college student at NYU, but born and raised in Honolulu, I check your site EVERDAY and must say that I thoroughly enjoy it! Keep up the good work, I almost feel like I am home!

[Mariko]

I love warabi mochi! I think if I ever go to Hawaii I will have to live in taht department store! Strawberry daifuku and Beard Papa and warabi mochi? WHAT'S NEXT!!!!
Have a great trip.

[Reid]

Hi Allen,

Long time no hear!

To tell you the truth, I couldn't really figure out what the warabi tasted like because of all the kinako on the mochi. But, it was so smooth and a bit sweet.

I think Shirokiya does a great job of bringing us all things Japanese. I love the concept and I wish more retailers would do this.

Hi Clinton,

This warabi mochi was really good. It was my first time trying it. It really was so silky smooth. I'm going to go back and buy more today. =P

Hi Kathy,

Thank you for dropping by my site and leaving me a comment. And thanks for the compliments on the site. Perhaps you should set up a blog as well. I'd like to see what a displaced local girl eats in NYC.

If blogs were around back when I was in NYC, it would have been a wonderful way to record what was going on at the time. It's been 10 years since I moved back to Hawaii. I think I need to go back to NYC soon!

Thanks again!

Hi Mariko,

Nice to hear from you again!

I'm lucky to live so close to this shopping mall. In fact, it's only 10 minutes drive from my apartment. It really is a wonderful thing, I'd live here too if I could!

They also have stalls selling karaage and tempura, taiyaki and andagi, as well as hand-rolled sushi.

The revolving stalls are in the front of the food area. Some of the other things they have featured in the past were okonomiyaki and takoyaki. I'll try to feature more posts of the offerings from this department store. Maybe then it'll convince you to visit Hawaii! =)

Hope to see you again!

[Ben]

Hi Reid,

Found your site via Fatman-Seoul's blog.
Seems like the food scene in and around Honolulu is pretty nice; I love it how you seem to have really authentic Asian foods, plus the local variation/fusion results.

I live in Sydney (Australia) so while we also have "Asian fusion" cuisine, the results are really different.

Anyway, just wanted to drop you a line and say how hungry your blog always makes me. Great work!
Ben.

[AugustusGloop]

Hey Reid

Wow... this place looks so Japanese! I love the box too. *sigh* You don't need to go back to Japan... you have everything in Hawaii! *green with envy*

[chika]

Hi Reid,

I love warabi-mochi :)
It is made with bracken starch, that's why it isn't so herby (to tell you the truth, I don't care for bracken as a vegetable, really).
Have you had kuzu-mochi before? It is similar to warabi-mochi, but made with arrowroot.

I also like sobameshi by the way... when I first heard about it I thought it was crazy (I'm from Tokyo where sobameshi wasn't common at all), but I actually found it pretty yummy.

[Reid]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for dropping by and leaving me a comment. Thanks also for the compliment on the site.

It's funny that you should say that you found me via FatMan Seoul. I would have thought that you had found me by way of the other Australian bloggers like Anthony at Spiceblog, Augustus Gloop over at Grab Your Fork, or Mik at l'art de vivre.

We have tons of Asians here which is why I think we have a fairly good respresentation of Asian cuisine. Most of the fusion fare comes from local chefs like Roy Yamauchi, Alan Wong and Sam Choy.

Do drop by again sometime.

Hi AG,

Shirokiya used to be part of Tokyu Department Stores, which is a large Japanese department store chain, and has been in Hawaii since 1959. That is probably why you think it looks like a Japanese store. And although they have a lot of Japanese goods/products, there are many things that we still can't get here in Hawaii.

Hi chika,

This was my first time trying warabi mochi and I have to say that I really like it. I haven't had any kazu mochi before, but if it's similar, I'm sure that I would like it as well. To tell you the truth, I like most types of Japanese confections. They taste so yummy.

As for sobameshi, I like it too, but there aren't many places here that serve it, which is why I have to make my own. Since it's quick and easy, taking less than 30 minutes to make, I should prepare this more often. Many people see it as unorthodox, but in Hawaii, I'm sure you've seen people eat spaghetti with rice on the side. =)

[fish fish]

Hey Reid, good post bout the warabi mochi. Only now I read it... Now time these lately, too many thing dread me away from blogs. X( Hey, I just went to buy warabi mochi bring home. Want to give it to my granny. It's maccha flavour one. Be careful of warabi mochi, the one sell usually mix with starch... they have too cause the 100% warabi starch will be very high cost. But even one that mix with starch taste very yummy too. Hey... warabi mochi original from Kyoto u know, according what I have learnt. Not sure if it's true. ;)

[MrsT]

Hey.. Reid.. :)
Read this a few days ago.. but the lil' monster prevented me.. from making a comment.. she has been nasty.. these few days.. teething bad again.. :(
The mochi looks yummy.. but i kinda figured.. it has a woody taste.. coz' i think i might have had it before in japan... :) but i may be wrong.. hehe!!

[Reid]

Hi fish fish,

This warabi mochi was from a company called Bashodo and it is supposedly 100% warabi. I'm not sure how to tell otherwise, but it was really nice. I liked it a lot.

Hi MrsT,

I'm sorry that Chloe is giving you a bad time. Maybe she'll get better soon. =)

This mochi is really nice, and the kinako gives is a great flavor. Despite being made from roots, it's actually sweet not woody. I'd love to have more of this.

[Lya]

I came from Indonesia to Japan last year in October, it's fall season. When the first time I saw warabi mochi in winter time in Japan, I wanted to buy and try it. But my friend told me that this food is a summer food so that usually in summer time people eat it. Then I waited until this spring season and couldn't help to go and get it in the nearby store in Osaka. Now I have tasted it and I liked it. It'd better to serve after being refridged. Just before eating, I took my time to carefully separate the small balls of mochi and rolled them in the kinoko powder. The mochi was cool and smooth in my throat, and I liked the kinoko which covered the round shape warabi mochi. It indeed gave additional taste to the sheer sweet mochi.

[Reid]

Hi Lya,

Thank you for stopping by my site and leaving me a comment.

I enjoyed the warabi mochi that I had as well, especially since it was my first time having it. Kinako is an acquired taste, so I'm especially surprised that you liked it as well.

Thanks again for stopping by!

[Noorul Hasan Rizvi]

My Japanese friend has asked me about Warabimochi. I am so disapointing because there are many shapes of Warabimochi? Is rice used in making warabimochi?