Apo’s Fall Recipe: Chewy, Sweet, and Savory Red Kuri Squash Mochi 🎃

by Apolline van Dijk and Yu Xuan Neo

Try this easy-to-make treat and enjoy a unique twist on traditional mochi!

・To make around 15 pieces of mochi, you’ll need:

• a Red Kuri squash that weighs around 250g 
• Mochiko (glutinous rice flour): half the weight of pumpkin (125~150g)
• a pinch of salt

・For the sauce:

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter 

How to make it:

1. Scoop out the seeds and pulp of your squash with a spoon.
2. Separate the seeds from the pulp. The pulp can be used with the rest of the squash, but not the seeds. 
3. Cut the squash into small pieces and peel the skin off using a peeler or a sharp knife.
4. Put the pieces of squash with the pulp in a microwave-safe container and microwave it until soft (it took me 10 to 15 min for it to be fully soft, but it depends on the moisture of your squash).
5. Mash it well and add a pinch of salt. It enhances the natural sweetness of the squash.
6. Now, add the rice flour in multiple stages until it forms a soft and not too sticky orange dough.
7. Sprinkle some all-purpose flour on your working surface and place your dough on it. 
8. Separate the dough into 15 pieces.
9. Using your hands, make a ball with each piece and then flatten it to get a disk mochi shape.
10. Drizzle some vegetable oil in a non-stick pan on medium-low heat. 
11. Place your pieces of mochi in the pan and cover for 3 min. Flip them over for 3 more minutes.
12. In a bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar and water. Pour them into the pan and add the butter at the same time. When the sauce has thickened, it means the sugar has caramelized and the butter has melted. 
13. The Red Kuri Squash mochi is done. Enjoy!

Yu Xuan’s review:

We made this during the 1st cooking club event of the year: the Autumn dinner! Personally, I found kneading the rice flour dough as therapeutic as playing with slime. This recipe was so fun and yummy that I would definitely make it again — and it was such a crowd-pleaser! After all, who can say no to mochi? 

What we learned from this was that success comes after a few tries. When making the first batch of this mochi, the heat was on too high, and the ones we pan-fried came out almost entirely burnt (fun fact: in Singaporean slang, we call this chāo-dā). Indeed, practice makes perfect: our second batch came out golden brown and coated in a gorgeous thick sugar glaze. It was the perfect bite — a combination of slightly crisp edges on the outside and the soft, chewy texture within. The hint of salt from the soy sauce provided a surprisingly tantalizing flavor contrast, balancing out the caramelized sugar extremely well. Fresh out of the pan, the warmth of the mochi and the earthy flavors make for a cozy fall dinner. 

P.S. For an afternoon snack, I think that it would have paired well with a drink with a milder taste profile, such as green tea or soy milk.