These master mochi pounders are a must-see!

Young producers who have woken up to the greatness of glutinous rice

The winners of the Mochi Pounding Championship receive the title of "mochi ambassador." Last year, glutinous rice producers Masashi Konta and Takahiro Oide became the ninth generation holders of the illustrious title.

Takahiro Oide, age 29, left; and Masashi Konta, age 41, right.

Why did you choose Oide as your partner?

Konta He has a solid build and is well-suited to it, but the top reason is that when he inspected business partners with Oide, despite having a lingering affection for the non-glutinous rice eaten every day as a staple, Konda changed his feelings about glutinous rice. While listening directly to those in charge of making the product, he was persuaded and said, "I'm going to grow glutinous rice." It was precisely that kind of guy Oide wanted as his partner in the mochi pounding competition.

Who switched his allegiance from non-glutinous rice to glutinous rice?

Oide When you give someone non-glutinous rice they are happy, but if you give them glutinous rice, they say, "I don't really eat this so I don't want it." It's exactly right that glutinous rice is not out on the market like non-glutinous rice and he didn't really understand what kind of product it is or who eats it. However, when he visited business partners, he learned that Nayoro-grown glutinous rice is used in many famous products of large companies and decided to do his best.

A recipe recommended by a mochi ambassador

Mochi sweets

Maple syrup butter mochi

Ingredients: Freshly pounded mochi, maple syrup and butter in the desired quantities.

1. Flatten a piece of the freshly pounded mochi in your hands.
2. Melt butter in the frying pan and fry the flattened mochi until the surface is crunchy.



3. Pour maple syrup on top to complete the dish.

If you use store-bought cut mochi, soften it in the microwave before frying in the pan.




Maple syrup butter mochi