When the Japanese came to Hawaii to work in the Sugar cane fields they had to eat the same thing day after day for about three days or more. They ate rice, daikon ( turnips), salted salmon, ikido ( dried fish), and broiled codfish. The Japanese did not have much of a variety of foods to eat so they often shared the food with each other. The way they shared was different than now. When it was lunchtime, workers of different ethnicities would sit together and offer each other to taste their food. If you refused, it was embarassment for the person who wanted you to try his food. If you did this, he would not touch your food either. So it was out of cultural politeness to accept and praise each others food offerings.
All you need is 2 cups of short Japanese rice, and 2 1/2 cups of cold water. Here's what you need to do:
Place the rice in a bowl, and splash cold water over until it is clear. Wash milky water off. Put fresh water, sift your hands between the grains. Soak rice for 20 - 30 minutes. Boil for 30 minutes on low heat in a sauce pan with a firm lid. Simmer for 10 minutes.
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
4 cups milk
3 tsp. baking powder
2 cups mochiko (glutinious rice flour)
Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add mochiko and baking powder with 2 cups of milk. Mix well, then add the remaining milk. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool completely before cutting. Keep refrigerated.
Note: This is not a true mochi, but has the texture and flavor of mochi.
Here are the ingredients and directions you need to make this recipe:
Boil potatoes. Pour oil in a frying pan, and add the onion, make sure it is tender. Add the meat, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and curry powder, then crumble it for 3 minutes. Peel and mash potatoes. Mix potatoes and meat in a large bowl. Divide the potato mixture into 8 parts, then shape into a half ellipse. Put each portion into flour and pat off the extra flour. Dip into bread crumbs on a plate. Deep fry for 350F for 3 minutes on each side until it is brown. Drain on a paper towel. Serve with the sliced cabbage.