Tsukiji Market Style Ichigo Daifuku Recipe

This ichigo daifuku consists of sweet red bean paste stuffed in a ball of mochi dough. Place the strawberry on top of the mochi, just like the trendy mochi shops in Tokyo! Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links.

Da Mochi Mommy is baaaaack! How have you guys been? Sick of my matcha recipes? Well, I’m finally throwing in some mochi back into the mix, so this is for you!

Have you all seen the viral mochi videos from Japan? Or maybe you’re one of my 1,532,742 friends who went to Japan this past spring. Yes, I stalked through each and every one of your Instagram stories, vicariously eating through you.

I’ve been noticing lately on social media that mochi shops popular with tourists sell their daifuku a little differently than I used to see. Specifically, I see them put the strawberry on top of mochi instead of inside the bean paste. I was really excited to see this because…

1. It looks cool
2. It’s easier to make than the traditional way!

So, I thought, let’s make some at home!

What is Ichigo Daifuku Mochi?

First things first, what is daifuku? Daifuku, or daifuku mochi, is a Japanese confection consisting of a ball of mochi with some sort of filling. Traditionally, the filling is a sweet red bean paste, also called anko.

The word “ichigo” means strawberry in Japanese. A typical ichigo daifuku has a strawberry that’s covered in red bean paste so it looks like a ball. Then the whole thing is wrapped in mochi dough.

This new trend I’m seeing is still the same components of ichigo daifuku, but instead of having the strawberry inside the red bean paste, it’s placed on top of the whole thing! It looks really cool, still tastes great, and it’s easier to put together than the original way.

Mochi Terminology: Is Daifuku the Same as Mochi?

A common question I get on social media is, “Isn’t this just called mochi?”

The answer is…. no. But in some places, yes. It’s complicated.

In Japan, mochi generally refers to plain rice cake, unsweetened. It can be eaten sweet or savory. When talking about this stuffed sweet mochi, people generally use the more specific term “daifuku” or “daifuku mochi.”

However, mochi has become so widespread and popular globally, that the terminology really changes depending on where you’re from. In many other Asian countries, mochi refers to a multitude of sweet rice cake desserts. In Hawai’i, where there is a strong Japanese cultural influence, many Japanese Americans refer to daifuku and other sweet rice desserts as “mochi” as well.

But, if you’re in Japan or you’re talking to Japanese friends, you’d be most accurate to say “daifuku” and not just “mochi.” In fact, many of my Japanese friends say it’s a HUGE pet peeve of theirs that Americans refer to everything sweet and chewy as “mochi.”

If you’re looking for more information on different types of mochi and mochi terminology, definitely check out my Ultimate Guide to Mochi page.

How to Make Sweet Mochi Dough: Gyuhi

While we’re on the topic of terminology, here’s another word to learn: gyuhi! Technically, since mochi in Japanese refers to just plain rice cake, you wouldn’t use it to describe rice confections that have sugar mixed in.

While you CAN make daifuku from pounding glutinous rice to make dough and wrap red bean paste, most people I know who make mochi at home use glutinous rice flour. You mix the rice flour with sugar and water, then you steam it – either in the microwave or stovetop. The resulting mochi dough is technically called “gyuhi.”

And now you know!

What Rice Flour do I use for Mochi?

One thing that’s very important to know: you must use GLUTINOUS rice flour to make mochi desserts. Glutinous rice is also known as mochikome or sticky rice or sweet rice. It is different from sushi rice or Jasmine rice or Basmati rice, or any other type of rice. It is super sticky and chewy.

Now, in general, there are two different types of Japanese glutinous rice flours: shiratamako and mochiko. Mochiko is more commonly found, even in American grocery stores. It’s also less expensive. Shiratamako is harder to find, but it is milled in a way that makes water absorption better, leading to a softer dough. For delicate confections like daifuku, I prefer shiratamako. For treats that are more casual and use a LOT of flour (like butter mochi), I use mochiko. But, of course, if you can’t find shiratamako or if it’s just too expensive, you can substitute mochiko for it.

Chinese grocery stores also sell their own version of glutinous rice flour for Chinese rice cake desserts, but I prefer to use Japanese flours for Japanese desserts. I have a better understanding of the properties of the flour and how to use it. But in a pinch, you could try using the Chinese glutinous rice flour too.

Red Bean Paste: Store-bought vs. Homemade

Homemade red bean paste tastes way better than what you can buy in the store. I find the store-bought ones to be overly sweet. HOWEVER, it does take more time and effort, and I will often use store-bought red bean paste when I just don’t have the time.

If you’ve got an Instant Pot, making red bean paste at home isn’t so bad, although it still takes a decent amount of time. I make mine based off Just One Cookbook’s recipe. Do a ratio of 1:4 in weight of red beans and water in the instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes and let it naturally release. Drain and put back into the Instant Pot. Add sugar at a ratio of 80% of the weight of the beans (e.g. if you had a 350g bag, add 280g sugar). Cook until the sugar is dissolve, the beans are simmering, and when you stir the beans around you see streaks of bean paste on the bottom of the pot. The liquid should be mostly gone by then. Let the beans cool slightly, then dump everything in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Or chunky. Depending on how you want it.

Put your bean paste in the fridge until read to use!

How to Keep Mochi from Sticking

Making mochi in the microwave is so easy, but it can be sticky. To make clean up easier, line your microwave safe dish with a wet cloth. The cooked mochi will plop right out of it, no sticking!

When working with your cooked mochi, make sure to use katakuriko (potato starch) to keep the mochi from sticking to each other. You can substitute cornstarch instead, but I think the texture and taste of katakuriko is just… better.

Assembling Your Daifuku Mochi

Assembling your daifuku isn’t too hard. Roll your bean paste into balls prior to cooking your mochi dough, so it’s ready to use. Also make sure you have plenty of katakuriko, or potato starch, to prevent the mochi from sticking to each other. A lot of people ask me for substitutions for katakuriko, and you can definitely use cornstarch, but I really don’t like the flavor or texture. Katakuriko is the best, and you can find it on Amazon. It’s not too expensive, so I highly recommend getting it. You can always use the leftovers in karaage or other recipes!

I find the key to successful mochi wrapping is to make sure you have rolled out your mochi pieces into a nice flat circle beforehand. Some mochi shops in Japan start from a small ball of mochi and ever so carefully they can smooth it over their fillings without ripping the dough or making their daifuku lopsided.

I do not have that kind of fine motor skill. Or patience.

The easiest way is to cut your dough into pieces, then roll each piece into a 3-4 inch circle. Then, stick your red bean ball in the middle, bring the edges of the dough up and around to wrap it, and pinch the edges shut to seal. It may not be as perfect as the centuries old Japanese shops, but hey, it works.

More Mochi Recipes

Looking for more daifuku recipes? Check these out! And feel free to browse through all my mochi recipes for more mochi desserts from Hawai’i and Japan.

• Kiwi Daifuku Mochi
• Mandarin Orange Daifuku Mochi
• Grape Daifuku Mochi
• Mango Daifuku Mochi
• Mint Chocolate Daifuku Mochi
• Birthday Cake Daifuku Mochi