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Strawberry mochi, also called ichigo daifuku, cut open to show fresh strawberry and sweet red bean paste inside soft mochi.

Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku) いちご大福

Yoko Segawa
Strawberry mochi, or Ichigo Daifuku, is one of my favorite Japanese desserts to make when strawberries are in season. Fresh strawberries are wrapped in sweet red bean paste, then tucked into a soft, chewy mochi. Making them at home is fun and surprisingly easy with a handful of simple ingredients.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 6 mochi
Calories 161 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

For the filling

  • 6 small strawberries
  • 150 g koshian (smooth sweet red bean paste) 25g (1 heaping tablespoon) for each mochi, use 35g each for an open-style strawberry mochi

For the mochi

  • ½ cup shiratamako (80g)
  • ¼ granulated sugar (50g)
  • ½ cup water (120ml)
  • Potato starch for dusting

Instructions
 

Before You Start

  • Chill the anko for easier handling and wrapping.
  • Wash the strawberries and remove the green leafy stems. Pat them dry well to prevent leaking.

Wrap the Strawberries with Anko

  • Divide the koshian into 6 portions, about 25g each. Roll each portion into balls. Press a strawberry into the ball, then wrap it around the side of the strawberry, leaving the tip exposed so the red color peeks through the mochi. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate the prepared fillings while preparing mochi.
  • For open-style strawberry daifuku, use 35g of koshian for each mochi. Roll each portion into balls. Do not wrap the strawberries with koshian yet. Keep the strawberries and koshian balls separate. Refrigerate the prepared fillings while preparing mochi.

Make the Mochi Dough

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the shiratamako and sugar. Add water gradually, a splash at a time, and mix well between each addition. Mix until all the shiratamako granules are dissolved.
  • Microwave for 1 minute and stir well with a spatula. Then microwave for another 30 seconds and stir until the mixture becomes stretchy and shiny. If the mochi is still opaque, microwave for an additional 30 seconds and mix again. Repeat if necessary until translucent.

Dust and Divide the Mochi

  • Generously dust a working surface with potato starch. Carefully transfer the mochi onto the starch.
  • When it’s cool enough to touch, coat the entire surface of the mochi with potato starch. Dust your hands with potato starch, then use your thumb and index finger to gently squeeze and pinch off the mochi into 6 equal pieces.
    Pinching off soft mochi dough into equal pieces for strawberry mochi.

Wrap the Strawberry Filling

  • Flatten each piece of mochi into a round. Keep the center slightly thicker than the edges.
    Flattening a piece of mochi into a round before wrapping the strawberry filling.
  • Make a C-shape with one hand.
    Dusting a hand with potato starch and making a C-shape before wrapping soft mochi around the filling.
  • place a flattened piece of mochi on top.
    Placing a flattened mochi wrapper on C-shaped hand before wrapping strawberry koshian filling.
  • Place a strawberry filling in the center of each mochi with the strawberry tip facing down. Gently press the filling down into your C-shaped hand so the edges of the mochi naturally wrap around the filling.
    Placing the anko-covered strawberry filling inside a soft mochi wrapper.
  • Pinch the edges together to seal, then turn the mochi seam-side down. Enjoy immediately.
    Pinching the edges of the mochi together to seal the strawberry daifuku.
  • For open-style strawberry daifuku, wrap each koshian ball with mochi and place it seam-side down. Use kitchen shears to make a cut on top, gently open the cut surface, and place a strawberry on top.
    Cutting the top of mochi with kitchen shears to make open-style strawberry daifuku.

Notes

Pro Tips for Soft Strawberry Mochi
  • Use shiratamako to keep mochi soft longer.
  • Adding sugar also helps keep mochi soft.
  • Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients. Too much water makes mochi sticky, and too little can dry out mochi.
  • Shiratamako makes chewier and more elastic mochi than mochiko, making it easier to wrap the filling without tearing.
  • Add water gradually and mix well until no granules are left.
  • Cook until the mochi is shiny and translucent.
  • Wrap a strawberry in anko before wrapping it in mochi.
 
Storage Tip
Strawberry mochi is best enjoyed the same day it is made, while the mochi is soft and the strawberry is fresh and juicy.
Store leftover strawberry mochi in an airtight container in the fridge, and enjoy within 24 hours. Thanks to shiratamako and sugar, the mochi stays softer than regular mochi after refrigeration, though it will still be firmer than freshly made. I recommend taking them out at room temperature, 15 minutes before enjoying, to revive their chewy texture.
 
Please note that the nutritional information provided is just an estimate, and accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1mochiCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 2gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 3mgPotassium: 48mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 1IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 10mgIron: 0.5mg
Keyword dairy-free, mochi, strawberries, vegan
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