Chīzu Imomochi Cheese Potato Mochi (Print)

Golden potato mochi filled with melty cheese and glazed in a sticky soy-honey sauce. Comforting Japanese snack.

# Components:

→ For the Dumplings

01 - 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
02 - ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 3 ounces 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, incorporate butter and salt, mixing well to combine.
03 - Add potato starch to mashed potatoes and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add additional starch incrementally if mixture is too sticky.
04 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Flatten each into a disc, place a cheese cube in the center, and wrap dough around it to seal, forming a ball.
05 - Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add dumplings and cook while turning occasionally until all sides achieve golden brown color, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
06 - Combine soy sauce, honey, mirin, and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Pour glaze into skillet with dumplings. Toss gently to coat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and glazes the dumplings.
07 - Transfer to serving dish while warm. Garnish optionally with sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cheese melts into a warm, stretchy surprise that makes every bite feel indulgent without being complicated.
  • You can make these in about 40 minutes total, which means you can go from craving to eating faster than ordering takeout.
  • That soy-honey glaze strikes the perfect balance between savory and sweet, like your taste buds just found common ground.
02 -
  • If your dough feels too wet and sticky after adding the starch, add just a teaspoon or two more, because a dough that's too wet will fall apart in the pan and leave you with broken dreams and loose cheese.
  • The moment you pour the glaze in is when you need to be gentle, turning the dumplings carefully so they don't crack open and spill their molten filling everywhere, which sounds dramatic but really does happen.
03 -
  • Keep a small bowl of water nearby while shaping the dumplings so you can wet your fingers if the dough starts sticking, which prevents frustration and keeps things moving smoothly.
  • The soy-honey glaze thickens as it cools, so if you're not eating immediately, the dumplings will get even stickier and more glossy, which some people prefer.
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