Mochi So Popular We Bought More Rice! Event is Dec. 11
return of Mochitsuki, Annual Tradition of Making Sweet Rice
After a three-year hiatus, the Buddhist Temple of San Diego’s annual mochitsuki will return on Sunday, December 11.
The offer is so popular that we have bought more rice to expand production and extended the deadline!
BTSD is proud to bring back the year-end tradition and welcomes all temple members, the Sangha and community to participate in the tradition of producing mochi for the new year.
Prices will be $6 for ko mochi (approximately one pound) and $10 for a two-piece kasane. (Kasane refers to a set of large and one smaller mochi, meant to be stacked, and often used as a New Year’s offering.) Orders will now be accepted through Sunday, Dec. 4.
With a limited volume of mochi to be produced, it will be important to place your order by the EXTENDED DEADLINE OF December 4. Orders received after the deadline will be placed on stand-by. Mochi will not be sold on the day of the event. Orders need to be picked up on the day of the event, that is, Sunday, December 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thank you very much for your understanding in advance of these procedures.
The Process
Steaming the sweet rice, then grinding and pounding it into a glutinous texture, then cutting and shaping it into bite-size morsels — this all takes a lot of people power of all ages to produce the New Year’s treat.
SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AND SCHEDULE
A lot of volunteer help will be required and welcomed to cover all areas of production.
Here is a schedule where volunteers will be needed over the weekend of Dec. 9-11:
Friday, Dec. 9 – Rice washing, 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10 – Cooking equipment and indoor production set up, 11:00 a.m.
Sunday, Dec. 11 – Rice steaming. Rice grinding and mochi pounding. Cutting and shaping ko mochi and kasane. Cooling and packaging mochi, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Cleanup (times to be announced). Order pickup, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you are interested in helping, please call the temple to sign up. Event volunteers may also contact individuals. Health and safety protocols will be strictly enforced for all volunteers.
Other Features of Pickup on December 4
White Elephant Crafts and Gifts in Room 5 (sales benefit General Fund for operations)
Obon Again Asian Shop with unique gifts; (sales benefit scholarship program)
Dana Group Collection Box for Warm Clothing (benefits Streets of Hope)
Donations
Donations in any amount for the purchase of supplies will be much appreciated. Please make your check payable to BTSD and mail it to the temple. You may also contribute via credit card and PayPal.
Mochi warms the stomach when toasted under the broiler and eaten with shoyu (soy sauce) or mixed with ozoni, a traditional soup served on New Year’s Day. The Kasane mochi may be placed before your family Obutsudan as an offering welcoming the New Year.
Gassho, Ralph Honda and Glenn Negoro, Mochitsuki Co-chairs
Don’t Forget the Moffles
In recent years, many have ussed extra mochi for moffles, a great way to get a crispy exterior on the mochi and a warm, chewy center. They are super easy to make in a waffle iron and are darn tasty.
Learn more about mochi waffles at Chopstick Chronicles. You can make them by turning on your waffle iron, and then putting a mochi in the middle. applying soft pressure to spread them out. If the mochi are hard and not soft to begin with, you can warm them gently in the oven before transferring them to the waffle iron.