foodstuffs
rice & flour

Rice (kome) is the staple food of Japan. It is classified into long-grain and short-grain, but only the latter is used in Japan.

Glutinous rice (mochi-gome) nutrient composition is almost the same as that of regular rice. However, steamed glutinous rice is stickier than steamed regular rice. Rice cakes (mochi) are made from glutinous rice, and glutinous rice is often used in steamed rice with beans (okowa).

Rice cakes (mochi) are steamed glutinous rice which, in the traditional method, are pounded in a special wooden mortar called “Usu” in Japanese. The ceremony for making this at New Years is called mochitsuki. A more modern method for making mochi is a special electric cooker. However, most Japanese buy mochi in packages. Rice cake shapes are circular or square and are most famous for their use in ozōni, which is eaten the first three days of the New Year holidays. It is said that god dwells in rice cakes, so rice cakes are lucky.

Flour is classified into three types – hakurikiko, chūrikiko  and kyōrikiko. The amount of protein contained in each is different. Hakurikiko has the smallest amount of protein, and is the most commonly used in Japan. Kyōrikiko has the most protein, and is used in Chinese noodles and bread. The amount of protein in chūrikiko  is in between that of hakurikiko and kyōrikiko. This flour is used in thick white noodles, okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

Rice flour for dumplings (shiratama-ko) is made from glutinous rice. It is used for Japanese sweets.

Rice bran (komenuka) is the powder of brown rice's outer brown layers produced when polished rice is made from brown rice. Rice bran is used for making takuan (Japanese pickles), removing egumi (bitter taste) of bamboo shoot when boiling it and kneading into cookie dough.

Unpolished rice (genmai) is rice which has had the outer husk removed but which retains the bran and germ layers. The color is brown, and it is commonly known as brown rice. Unpolished rice has a richer vitamin and dietary fiber content than polished rice and so is a very healthy food. However, it is important to choose unpolished rice which has been produced using either none or as few agricultural chemicals as possible. Also, it should be cooked in a pressure cooker or a rice cooker which has an available setting for unpolished rice.