Let's defy social conventions...well, nothing too radical - it's just ice cream in March for heaven's sake. It's cold and miserable out there, but there are glimmers and afternoons of sunshine and Spring which can only put a smile on our faces. That, for me, is more than enough of a sign to capitalise on a supermarket ice cream deal.
Hong
Kong has the most wonderful flavours when it comes to frozen yoghurts
and ice creams - and while they don't have the prestige of a creamy and
luxurious Italian gelato, they do take inspiration from neighbouring
countries to host a variety of creative concoctions. Mochi being one of
them.
I can't claim this as a Hong Kong
recipe. Mochi ice cream hails from Japan, but it holds a dear and
distant memory of hot and sticky summers in Hong Kong. Back in a dinky
old apartment building in North Point where my grandparents lived, I
specifically remember being stuck in an uneasy lift with my grandma
after a trip to the market. We were there for a good hour, but I
specifically remember being consoled by two little snowball dumplings of
mochi ice cream. A little toothpick in the packet to pick it up with,
the time seemed to fly by as I tried to make the ice cream last as long
as possible.
Mochi
is a sticky, translucent dough made from glutinous rice flour - almost
like an Asian version of Turkish Delight in texture. On its own its not
much to behold, however paired with some ice cream...it's bliss. I found
that London are starting to embrace it, with Snog frozen yoghurt
branches offering little mochi cubes as a topping for their delicious
Snog yoghurts. Simple to make ahead and keep in your fridge as a mini
dessert or sweet treat after work or dinner it's definitely worth trying
out. Tips here are to make sure you have a lot of cornflour on hand, as
the mixture is extremely sticky (but manageable with corn flour) and
try to have cold hands and work quickly. (see my instagram page
@loloslittlekitchen to look at a video of the speed you need and how to
wrap the mochi)
