Chīzu Imomochi Cheese Potato Mochi (Printer-friendly)

Golden potato mochi filled with melty cheese, pan-fried and glazed in sticky soy-honey sauce for a perfect snack.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Dumplings

01 - 14 oz russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
02 - ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 3 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 8 cubes

→ For the Soy-Honey Glaze

06 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
07 - 1½ tablespoons honey
08 - 1 tablespoon mirin
09 - 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

→ For Frying

10 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil such as canola or vegetable

# Directions:

01 - Place peeled and chopped potatoes in a pot of salted water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, approximately 12 to 15 minutes.
02 - Drain potatoes thoroughly and mash until smooth. While still warm, add butter and salt, then mix well to combine.
03 - Add potato starch to the mashed potatoes and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If the mixture is too sticky, incorporate additional starch gradually.
04 - Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Flatten each piece into a disc, place a cheese cube in the center, and wrap the dough around to seal, forming a ball.
05 - Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the dumplings and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
06 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, mirin, and rice vinegar. Pour the glaze mixture into the skillet with the dumplings. Toss gently to coat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and glazes the dumplings.
07 - Transfer to serving plate while warm. Optionally garnish with sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It uses pantry staples but tastes like something you'd queue up for at a street stall.
  • The chewy-crispy contrast is ridiculously satisfying, especially with that sticky glaze clinging to every edge.
  • You can make the dough ahead and fry them right before serving, so they stay warm and gooey.
  • Kids and adults both reach for seconds without hesitation.
02 -
  • Don't let the potatoes cool completely before adding starch, or the dough won't bind properly and will crack when you try to shape it.
  • Seal the cheese cubes tightly, because even a tiny gap will let melted cheese leak out and burn onto your pan.
  • Use medium heat for frying; high heat will brown the outside before the inside warms through, and you'll lose that soft, chewy bite.
03 -
  • Wet your hands lightly before shaping each dumpling to prevent sticking without adding extra starch that can dry out the dough.
  • If the glaze starts to burn before it thickens, lower the heat and add a splash of water to loosen it, then let it reduce again slowly.
  • Use a silicone spatula to toss the dumplings in the glaze; metal can scratch nonstick pans and tear the delicate crust.
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