Savory Corn Mochi with Scallions

Whenever I think of butter mochi, I always envision something sweet. Recently, I’ve been experimenting with adding savory ingredients to sweet treats, like these orange and black sesame cookies, which use miso and soy sauce, and furikake rice krispies treats. With that in mind, I wanted to develop a butter mochi recipe that incorporated savory flavors. 

When I saw Sonia Wong’s sweet corn mochi recipe, an idea blossomed. Sonia’s recipe is inspired by Hawaiian butter mochi with a seasonal summer twist. She added a yellow corn purée to the batter, which infused the butter mochi with subtle corn flavor and gave the mochi a beautiful yellow color.

Using Sonia’s corn mochi recipe as a starting point, I worked on creating a savory corn mochi recipe. I reduced the amount of sugar and added fragrant scallions and shredded parmesan for a rich savory flavor. I also added whole corn kernels to the batter for more textural contrast in the baked mochi. The result is a delicious and fragrant corn mochi that is slightly sweet but also swirling with savory aromas. This savory corn mochi is a hit among my family and my husband’s co-workers! People have told me that the mochi is addictive and the savory flavor is a pleasant surprise.

COOKING NOTES FOR SAVORY CORN MOCHI

WHAT KIND OF CORN TO USE

You’ll need about 3 to 4 ears of corn for this recipe, depending on the size. For this recipe, I decided to make the mochi batter with white corn and folded in whole yellow corn kernels at the end for some color contrast. You can make this corn mochi with entirely white corn or yellow corn, or you can use a combination of both like I did.

WHAT KIND OF CHEESE TO USE

I decided to use parmesan for this recipe because I wanted to incorporate cheesy flavor but didn’t want the cheese flavor to overpower the corn or scallion flavors too much. If you want even more cheesy flavor, feel free to bump up the amount of parmesan used from 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup (or even 3/4 cup!) or use a stronger cheese, such as sharp white cheddar.

WHAT KIND OF PAN TO USE

I tested this savory corn mochi with 5 different baking pans: 8×8-inch pan, 9×9-inch pan, 9×13-inch pan, muffin pan, and a Baker’s Edge pan (affiliate link). You can bake this savory corn mochi with any of those pans. However, my favorite batches of the mochi were baked in a 9×9-inch square pan (affiliate link). I liked the height of the mochi as well as the crusty edge to chewy center ratio. 

You would think that baking the mochi in a muffin pan would speed up the baking process. However, I discovered that was not the case. Because I wanted the corn mochi to have a nice and even golden brown crust at the top, the mochi needed to be baked for at least 40 minutes. If you decide to use a muffin pan, fill each well about 3/4 full with the batter. Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 40 minutes and check to see if the tops and edges are a rich golden brown color before removing from the oven. 

As someone who loves eating edge pieces of baked goods, I wanted to try baking a batch of the mochi in a Baker’s Edge pan. The zig-zagging design of the pan yields cakes and bars with more edges compared to a standard square or rectangular pan. I was surprised how well the corn mochi baked inside this pan. The only issue was that the thick batter was a little difficult to spread inside the pan. The baking temperature and time for the Baker’s Edge pan is the same as the 9×9 pan. 

CAN YOU FREEZE OR REFRIGERATE THE SAVORY CORN MOCHI?

Yes! As a matter of fact, I prefer the texture of the corn mochi the next day, after it has been reheated and cooled. Reheating the mochi gives the edges and bottom a harder crust. Those crustier edges and bottom contrast nicely against the chewy center. 

Place the corn mochi in a container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat the mochi on a baking pan at 350ºF (175ºC) for 10 to 12 minutes. Let the mochi cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before eating. That way, the edges have more time to harden. 

When it comes to freezing, I like to cut the corn mochi into pieces first before freezing. This speeds up the reheating process later. Arrange the mochi pieces on a pan or large plate lined with parchment paper. Once the mochi hardens (in about 1 to 2 hours), transfer the frozen mochi to a freezer container. To reheat the frozen mochi, place the frozen pieces on a baking pan at 350ºF (175ºC) for 17 to 20 minutes. You do not need to defrost the mochi. Let the mochi cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before eating. 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE…

If you like this savory corn mochi recipe, you may also like my Baked Nian Gao! This is a baked version of the Chinese-style new year’s cake, nian gao. 

5 from 4 votes

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Servings: 16 pieces

Author: Lisa Lin

Savory Corn Mochi with Scallions

This Savory Corn Mochi with Scallions is a delicious play on sweet and savory flavors. There’s the subtle sweetness of fresh corn, fragrant scallions and savory parmesan with each bite.

You'll need about 3 to 4 ears of corn for this recipe, depending on the size. I used white corn to make the mochi batter and folded in yellow corn kernels to give the mochi more texture and color contrast. Feel free to use only white corn or yellow corn for this recipe.

If you want the corn mochi to have even more flavor, feel free to add 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper or your favorite spice blend to the batter. Also, if you want a cheesier mochi, feel free to increase the amount of parmesan cheese to 2/3 cup or use a sharper cheese, such as sharp white cheddar.

I used a scale to measure most of the ingredients in this recipe, and I recommend that you do the same.

Recipe adapted from Sonia Wong’s Sweet Corn Mochi recipe.

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Cooling Time1 hour hr

Equipment

• 9×9-inch baking pan (see note 2 about using other baking pans)

Ingredients

• 2 cups (320g) sweet rice flour (such as Koda Farms Mochiko), measured with the dip-and-sweep method (see note 1)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 1/2 cups (375g) white or yellow corn kernels
• 1/2 cup (118g/118ml) full-fat canned coconut milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup (137g) granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons (70g) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing baking pan, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 cup (70g) white or yellow corn kernels
• 1/2 cup (20g) lightly packed thinly sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup (45g) shredded parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and position an oven rack to the center position. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan with butter.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• Place 2 1/2 cups of corn kernels and the coconut milk in the bowl of a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Next, add the melted butter and whisk to combine. Pour in the corn and coconut milk mixture and whisk again.
  
• Add the flour mixture to the bowl all at once. Using a wooden spoon, stir until you no longer see large lumps of flour. The batter should be relatively smooth.
  
• Fold in 1/2 cup corn kernels, scallions, and parmesan cheese.
  
• Pour the batter into the greased pan and use a spatula to spread it out to an even layer.
  
• Bake the mochi for 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan after 30 minutes of baking. The mochi should be evenly golden brown at the top. When you gently press the center of the mochi with your fingers, it should bounce back slightly.
  
• Let the mochi cool in the pan for 30 minutes before unmolding. You can start eating the mochi after 30 minutes of cooling or let it reach room temperature before serving. The center of the mochi is more gooey when it’s still warm. When it’s cooled completely, the edges develop a better crust and the mochi will be easier to cut. Cut the mochi into 16 or 20 pieces. I recommend cutting the mochi with a greased knife to get cleaner cuts. Pour a bit of oil onto a paper towel and use that paper towel to grease the blade of a knife. Wipe the blade with the greased paper towel after each cut.
• Store any leftovers in a container at room temperature overnight. If you want to store the mochi for more than a day, refrigerate them for up to 4 days. The best way to reheat the leftovers is in the oven. Reheat the mochi on a baking pan at 350ºF (175ºC) for 8 to 9 if stored at room temperature, or 10 to 12 minutes if stored in the refrigerator. Let the mochi cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating. I actually like the corn mochi best after it is reheated! (See note 3 for freezing directions.)

Notes

1. Sweet Rice Flour: Bob’s Red Mill’s Sweet Rice Flour will work for this recipe. I have not tested this recipe with Thai-style glutinous rice flour, so I can’t say for certain if the texture will be the same. If you want to experiment with Thai-style glutinous rice flour, I would substitute the flour by volume rather than by weight.
2. Baking Pans: This recipe will work with an 8×8-inch pan or a 9×13-inch pan. The cooking times will be about the same. The key is to bake the mochi until the top of the mochi is an even golden brown color.
3. Freezer Directions: To freeze the corn mochi, place the mochi pieces on a pan or large plate lined with parchment paper. Once the mochi hardens (in about 1 to 2 hours), transfer the frozen mochi to a freezer container. To reheat the frozen mochi, place the frozen mochi directly on a baking pan at 350ºF (175ºC) for 17 to 20 minutes. There is no need to defrost the mochi.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.1g | Protein: 4.2g | Fat: 6.8g | Saturated Fat: 4.3g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 130mg | Fiber: 0.6g | Sugar: -2g

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Cuisine: Asian, gluten-free, Vegetarian

Category: Snack