Pumpkin Mochi with Red Bean Filling (红豆南瓜饼)
User Reviews
5
Pumpkin Mochi with Red Bean Filling (红豆南瓜饼)
Description
The dough incorporates steamed or canned butternut squash for color and moisture, mixed with glutinous rice flour, sugar, and oil. The red bean filling is made by cooking soaked adzuki beans until soft, then pureeing with white and dark brown sugar and butter (or coconut oil for a vegan option), cooked further to a paste that firms upon cooling.
The mochi is formed by wrapping portions of the rice dough around spoonfuls of red bean paste and a raisin, then shaped into individual cakes. The bright orange dough contrasts visually with the dark filling. The texture is chewy and soft from the glutinous rice flour with a delicate sweetness from pumpkin and the filling.
This dessert suits those seeking a mildly sweet treat with traditional red bean paste and a seasonal vegetable twist. It can be served as a snack or dessert and enjoyed at room temperature.
Using butternut squash or canned pumpkin puree affects dough color, with butternut yielding a more vivid orange. Substituting butter for coconut oil alters flavor and makes it vegan friendly. Adding a small amount of water during blending helps achieve the right paste consistency. Soaking beans overnight reduces cooking time and improves texture.
Ingredients
For the filling
- 150 g adzuki beans or 350g canned ones, aka red beans/红豆
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 80 g butter See note 1 for vegan option
For the dough
- 350 g butternut squash or canned pumpkin puree, see note 2
- 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
- 320 g glutinous rice flour see note 3, aka sweet rice flour/糯米粉
You also need
- 16 pieces raisins
Instructions
Cook the beans (skip if using canned beans)
- Soak adzuki beans in water enough to cover overnight.
- Drain then put into a pot. Pour in 500ml of water. Bring it to a boil then leave to simmer for about 90 mins until cooked (You may use a pressure cooker/instant pot to reduce the cooking time).
Make the bean paste
- Put drained beans into a food processor. Add white sugar, dark brown sugar and butter (or lard, coconut oil). Blend on high speed into a fine paste. You may need to add a little water to make blending easier. However, only add as little as necessary.
- Transfer the soft paste into a non-stick pan. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring and flipping constantly to avoid burning. Once the paste becomes dark, dry and holds in shape, remove to cool (please refer to the video for the desired consistency).
Cook the squash (skip if using canned pumpkin puree)
- Cut the butternut squash into chunks (skin & seeds removed). Steam for 15 mins until fork tender.
Make the dough
- Put the cooked squash into a food processor. Add sugar and oil. Blend on high speed until it turns into a fine puree.
- Add glutinous rice flour in batches. Run the food processor on medium speed until a dough forms. It should be very soft but not sticky. Depending on the water content of the cooked squash, you may not need to use all the flour suggested in the recipe, or you may need to add a little more. Please feel free to adjust accordingly.
Assemble the cakes
- Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. Then shape each into a ball. Repeat the same procedure to make 16 balls with the red bean paste.
- Flatten one dough ball into a disc. Place a piece of filling in the middle. Gently push the edge of the dough upwards to cover the filling and seal completely.
- Use the spine of a butter knife to create indentations all around to imitate a pumpkin. Then insert a piece of raisin on top as the “stem”(please refer to the video below).
Steam the cakes
- Lay the assembled cakes in steamer baskets lined with parchment paper (or brushed with a thin layer of oil if using metal/plastic steamer baskets).
- Bring water to a boil in a wok/pot, place in the baskets. Cover and steam for 10 mins over medium-high heat.
Serve, store & make ahead
- When cooked, leave the cakes to cool in the baskets for 5 mins then serve (Otherwise, they are very sticky to touch). These pumpkin cakes can be served warm or at room temperature.
- You may keep them in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 2 months.
- Reheat refrigerated or frozen pumpkin cakes in the steamer until they become soft again.
- Make ahead: Lay assembled, uncooked pumpkin cakes on a tray lined with parchment paper. Put into the freezer. Once completely frozen, transfer them into an air-tight bag/container. Store in the freezer for 2 months. Steam them without defrosting for 15 mins.
Notes
- For a vegan version, replace butter in the red bean filling with half the amount of coconut oil to avoid overpowering coconut flavor.
- Butternut squash provides a bright orange dough color; canned pumpkin puree is an alternative with a lighter dough color.
- Glutinous rice flour is gluten-free and essential for the chewy mochi texture.
- Soak adzuki beans overnight to reduce cooking time and improve texture for the filling.
- Add minimal water when blending the red bean paste to help processing without making it too wet.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16cakes
Amount Per Serving
Calories 169 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1cake | |
| Calories | 169kcal | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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