FPJ brings to you the Raindrop cake that is making waves in the culinary world along with some other interesting Japanese desserts.
Raindrop water or Mizu Shingen Mochi is a Japanese cult dessert made of mineral water and agar- agar and served with roasted soybean flour and sugar syrup. The crystal clear, glassy looking cake took New York by storm after Chef Darren Wong introduced it a few weeks ago.
The dessert is a transparent jelly-like blob and its appearance resembles very much like palm fruit or Tadgola as called in Hindi. It does not have any particular taste like water. When eating, it’s the texture that is savored more than the taste. People who tasted the cake find it mouth refreshing. The dessert is light, delicate and refreshing. It easily dissolves into a puddle of water if kept at room temperature for 30 minutes. The cake or Mizu Shingen Mochi is a great option for the calorie conscious foodies who crave for desserts after dinner but afraid to eat because of the sugar and fat content.
Available at few super markets in New York and recently also been introduced in Australia, this dessert got much light in past few weeks. In Japanese, ‘Mizu’ means water and ‘Shingen Mochi’ means rice cake. In Japan the dish has become a popular snack and generally enjoyed with sugar-cane juice syrup and Kinako soybean powder. The mochi or cake was first introduced and is trademarked by Kinseiken Seika Company in Japan. Some mochis in Japan are also made of water, sourced from the Southern Japanese Alps. The water from the alps are naturally sweet in taste hence requires no sugar.
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Here are some other Japanese desserts that are too beautiful to eat:
Chirin-chirin Ice Cream
Japan’s Chirin-chirin ice cream is just like any other frozen treat except for the appearance. The treat is made of delicate frozen ice cream that are given petal shape and then skillfully arranged to look like a rose flower. Served in a cone, Chirin Chirin is popular in Japan especially among tourists.
Japanese Glass Sweets
The Japanese sweet is made using seaweed (agar agar), water, sugar and edible flavors and colors. The unique sweets are gluten free, vegan jellies. The texture appears to be hard but is actually soft like any other jelly.
Realistic Animal Lollipops
The realistic lollipop, also called as Amezaiku in Japanese, require special skills to shape the candies. Animals and insects are common Amezaiku shapes and are made using starch syrup. They look so realistic that a vegetarian will think twice before having it.
Summer Wagashi
Summer Wagashi, a traditional Japanese confectionary is made using Mochi or glutinous rice cake, Azuki bean paste and fruits. The Japanese delight is prepared during springs and summer and enjoyed with tea.
Sakura Jelly
The adorable treat is made using salted Sakura flower, water, gelatin or agar-agar and Sakura honey syrup. It is also snacked with Sakura tea. Sakura jelly is made during springs when Sakura flowers bloom. The dish looks like a delicate crystal ball with a Sakura flower inside.
