Fried Black Bean Mochi

Brand: Tomidaya

Cost: 198 yen

Found At: Yamadai

Today, I discovered that I am the Julia Child of pre-packaged food.

Let me set the scene: I have just returned from the grocery store, having impulse bought a three-pack of fried, black bean mochi. But, I am horrified to discover, the grill marks are entirely ornamental. This is not a fried mochi cake, but a regular mochi cake. I am distraught in the knowledge that I will have to suffer through my second favorite dessert, instead of my first.

And this is where my culinary training kicked in. I grabbed a vat of coconut oil and proceeded to deep-fry these fictitiously fried cakes. And this is how I discovered that I am a domestic goddess. Doused in hot oil, the mochi melts, forming a long, flat disc of pounded rice and sweet bean, that then darkens and crisps and soaks up the coconutty scent of the frying oil. By the time I pulled it off the grill, I had a crunchy, gooey, caramelized disc of pure heaven.

I need only sit back and wait for the Food Network to call.