Mochi reheating made easy

Now that the holidays are over and the Christmas goodies are slowly disappearing, I can enjoy the mochi my Uncle Marvin and Aunt Linda made for New Year’s. I ate a few when I first received the heavy container, but their generosity exceeded my appetite and I had to individually wrap more than half of the white discs to freeze.

Thanks to Inomata’s Mochi Renji gadget, I can enjoy mochi filled with tsu­bushian (sweet bean paste) or topped with kinako (roasted soybean starch) in less than two minutes.

How it works: Drop a piece of dry or frozen mochi into the plastic container, then fill with water to the line marked on the side. Microwave 1 minute. Hook the accompanying strainer to the container and pour out the water.

Does it work?: Yes. I microwaved a plain mochi, then covered it with kinako and sugar — delicious — and then moved on to one filled with tsubushian — equally delicious.

Pros: Quick, easy, doesn’t take up much space, handle is cool so the container can be removed from the microwave with bare hands. Also, after draining the water, I could pour kinako and sugar directly onto the mochi and eat straight from the container. Lessens cleanup.

Cons: You don’t get crisp edges like when my grandma would fry mochi in a pan (tip: a friend said she microwaved her piece for about 40 seconds and then fried it in butter to get the outside crisp); if the mochi piece is bigger than 2 by 3 inches, it won’t fit into the container; the instructions are in Japanese (Marukai solved that problem).

Cost and availability: $2.49 at Marukai Market Place or Marukai Wholesale Mart. Look for English instructions available near the product.

Got a gadget that you love? Or are you curious about one you’d like us to test? Email crave@staradvertiser.com, or write Crave, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza Suite 210, Honolulu 96813.