Injeolmi (Roasted Soybean Mochi)

Injeolmi aka roasted soybean mochi is a soft and chewy Korean treat made from sweet glutinous rice. It's quick, easy and delicious!

Jump to:

• What is Injeolmi?
• What does injeolmi taste like?
• Cooking method: Microwave or Steam?
• The secret to creating stretchy mochi
• How should I store it?
• Injeolmi (Roasted Soybean Mochi)

I'm back with another mochi recipe! This time we are taking a Korean turn and creating injeolmi or roasted soybean mochi. A subtly sweet, soft and chewy glutinous rice cake covered in roasted soybean flour, aka konggaru (콩가루) or kinako (きなこ).

What is Injeolmi?

Injeolmi (인절미) is a popular Korean snack made from glutinous rice flour and finely ground roasted soybean flour. Traditionally steamed sweet glutinous rice is pound to create a soft and chewy rice cake, before being rolled in bean powder. Unfortunately this isn't practical when making injeolmi from home! This recipe takes you through a quick and easy way to create delicious injeolmi.

Although injeolmi is widely popular in Korea there are also a Japanese equivalent, kinako mochi (きなこ餅), which is pretty much the same thing!

What does injeolmi taste like?

You now might be wondering... why do I want to have roasted bean flour all over my delicious rice cake?

If you have never tried roasted soybean flour, aka konggaru, aka kinako, you have got to give it a go. If I were to describe it, it is very similar to peanut butter, nutty, fragrant and pairs amazingly with desserts.

Cooking method: Microwave or Steam?

The two most common ways to make mochi from home are either steaming it, or cooking ti in the microwave.

Steaming it cooks the batter evenly throughout on a slow gentle heat. The downside is it takes a lot longer.

Microwaving the mochi is fast and simple. All you need is 2 minutes in the microwave and it's pretty much ready to go. The downside is an uneven cook, as you will have parts slightly drier than others.

If I were to choose between the two methods I would go with microwaving. I'm all about time efficiency, and cooking something in 2 minutes is the dream. When it comes to the uneven cooking there are ways around this. The first being taking it out halfway and giving it a mix before continuing the cooking process. The other is pounding the dough. Pounding the dough helps to distribute areas that are more cooked than others resulting in a smooth and bouncy dough.

The secret to creating stretchy mochi

This recipe is so much easier than the traditional method, but there is reason to the traditional pounding of the rice. The pounding is what gives the rice cake elasticity and chewiness, as well as increasing its softness. We can still use this method even when we aren't making the rice cake from scratch. After we have cooked the rice flour use any object you have available to pound it. As the mochi will be very sticky I recommend greasing the utensil with some vegetable oil.

When I pound the dough I use the blunt end of a rolling pin. You can use anything from wooden spoons to flat bottomed cups (just don't choose one that is fragile)! Simply pound it for a couple of minutes until it becomes softer, stretchier and more supple. Trust me this will change your homemade mochi game.

How should I store it?

As with most things made from glutinous rice flour they are best enjoyed on the day they are made. If you do store them keep them in an airtight container for up to three days.

If eating them on the second or third day I recommend heating them up. This brings them back to their soft and stretchy texture. My favourite way to reheat injeolmi is in a fry pan. All it needs is a minute on each side. Otherwise a couple of minutes in a steamer is great too!

Heating injeolmi in the microwave can cause it to harden rather than soften. If you must heat it in the microwave I recommend placing it in a bowl with a couple of drops of water covered in cling wrap. Heat for 30 second bursts until nice and warm.

Let's Get Cooking!

Now you know all about injeolmi it's time for you to go and make your own! This soft, chewy delicious nutty treat is perfect served with a drizzle of honey and a cup of tea. It is also amazing as a topping for your ice-cream, or baked into a cookie (we've got an upcoming recipe...)!

If you like this recipe make sure to leave me a rating and comment down below. Don't forget to tag me on instagram if you make these @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes. It's always a surprise seeing all your creations and I can't wait to see more. That's it for today, until next time... happy (rice)caking!

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