Video: How To Make Mochi In The Microwave

The microwave is a love-it-or-hate-it appliance. People who own one will defend it to the end, and those who get away with not having one can't shut up about it. But you know what else these outspoken folks are missing from their lives? The ability to make sweet, sticky mochi all in the comfort of one's own home.

Mochi is traditionally made by grinding grains of rice, steaming the coarse bits, then endlessly pounding and kneading the starchy little life right out of them. While tradition is great, we'll leave that to the pros and use this 10-minute microwave method instead.

Add 1¼ cup of water, ¼ cup of pomegranate juice, ½ cup of sugar and 1½ cups of sweet rice flour to a large bowl. Whisk everything together until it's smooth and viscous, then pour the mixture into a shallow microwavable dish. Heat it for 1 to 2 minutes at a time until it's firm, then let it sit for 5 to 10 more minutes. Cut the mochi into pieces however big, small or shaped as you please; roll in tapioca starch; and you're done.

Play around by adding things like food coloring, lemon extract or cocoa powder. We went for pomegranate juice, because the pink tint makes it that much more fun, but you could use other juice, coconut milk or even sub more water. Make bite-size pieces to toss onto ice cream, pan-sear them for a soup topper or go my favorite route: Treat them like marshmallows and eat them straight outta the bowl.

More reasons to love your microwave:

- Make Scrambled Eggs in a Mug
- 31 Microwave Recipes to Make Tonight
- This Is the Easiest Way to Froth Milk