Pumpkin Mochi with Red Bean Paste

This pumpkin mochi with red bean paste is a sweet snack which can be served at room temperature or cold. It makes a good cooling snack especially on a hot day. The pumpkin mochi and red bean paste provide a good source of dietary fibre instead of just plain glucose.
The mochi in this recipe is cooked by steaming the stuffed mochi dough, thus avoid handling the sticky mochi dough. 

Red Bean Paste

Ingredients 

100g red beans

2 pandan leaves, optional

80~100g raw sugar

1/8 tsp salt

Directions

1. Rinse and soak red beans for at least 8 to 12  hours.

2. Rinse the beans a few rounds till water becomes clear.

3. Add enough water to submerge the beans for about 1cm. 

Bring to a boil and pour away the water.

4. Fill in a new batch of water to a height of about 1 cm above the beans. Add in the pandan leaves. Heat the beans at medium high flame.

When the beans start to boil, lower the heat to low, and continue  to cook the beans till soft.

When the water level drops, add hot water to keep the beans under water.

After about 1 hour of slow boil, the beans will be softened. The beans crush easily between fingers.

5. Drain away the liquid. 

6. Heat up a tablespoon of olive oil in a pot at medium low temperature. 

Return the cooked beans to the pot, and pour in the sugar and salt.

Stir and heat at low flame to melt the sugar.

When the sugar has melted, mashed the beans with the silicon spatula. Stir the bean paste to dry up part of the moisture content. 

7. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can either grind with a hand blender, or press the paste through a metal sieve.

8. After the red bean paste has cool down, keep in a closed container and refrigerate till needed.

This recipe allows you to collect about 280g red bean paste.

Pumpkin Mochi

Ingredients

100g steamed pumpkin paste

90g glutinous rice flour

15g confectioner's sugar

Pinch of salt

Corn flour for dusting and coating

Direction

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.

2. Add in the steamed pumpkin paste and mix well.

The pumpkin paste should be dry. Drain away the water collected at the bottom of the bowl before mashing the steamed pumpkin.

3. Knead the dough into a smooth paste for about 5 minutes.

4. Divide the dough into 10 equal portions, each weighing 20~21g

5. Prepare 10 red bean paste balls, each weighing about 10~12g.

6. Shape the pumpkin dough into a bowl shape, wrap in the red bean paste, and sealed.

7. Line a steamer with parchment paper or oil it. Heat up a pot of boiling water.

8. Steam the mochi dough in the pot for about 10 to 12 minutes at medium low heat.

Avoid strong steam and prolong steaming, as this will cause the mochi to lose its shape and collapse.

9. When the mochi is cooked, the skin becomes translucent, remove it from the pot to cool down.

10. After the mochi has cool down and the skin no longer wet, sprinkle some corn flour over the mochi.

You may keep the mochi in the fridge and enjoy it cold ^^