The Japanese confection made from glutinous rice pounded into a paste and shaped into balls is mochi. The pounding process, called mochitsuki, transforms cooked glutinous rice into a dense, elastic, chewy dough.
Mochi has long been connected with Japanese religious and seasonal customs. It is especially prominent at New Year, when kagami mochi—two rounded rice cakes topped with a small citrus fruit—is displayed as an offering. Mochi can be eaten plain, grilled, added to soups, or wrapped around fillings.
Mochi is often confused with daifuku, but daifuku is a type of mochi filled with sweet bean paste or another filling. Dango, another rice-based Japanese sweet, is made from flour rather than traditionally pounded whole glutinous rice. Because mochi is highly sticky and chewy, it should be eaten carefully, particularly by young children and older adults.