Three Layer Mochi (Girls' Day Chi Chi Dango)

This tricolor chi chi dango is a Hawaii style mochi that's popular on Girls' Day, or Hinamatsuri, but can be eaten year round! It's similar to Japanese hishimochi, but with coconut milk for added flavor and softness.

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine Asian American, Hawaiian, Japanese

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Cooling Time 30

Servings pieces

Ingredients

1 16 oz box mochiko
2 cups sugar
1 can coconut milk
2 cups water see notes
1 tsp coconut extract optional
Pink and green food coloring
Katakuriko for dusting

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix together mochiko, sugar, coconut milk, water, and extract (if using) in a large bowl, making sure no dry lumps of mochiko remain.
Separate mochi batter into thirds.
Add 1-2 drops green food coloring to one third and 1-2 drops pink or red food coloring to another third. Leave remaining third white.
Pour the green mochi batter into a greased 9x13” pan lined with parchment paper (I recommend Pyrex).
Bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the top of the layer is just set.
Carefully pour white mochi batter on top of baked green layer.
Return to oven and bake again for another 10-15 minutes or until set.
Carefully pour pink mochi batter on top of the white.
Cover entire dish tightly with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes or until mochi is cooked through.
Uncover mochi and let cool down to room temperature.
Turn out the mochi onto a surface dusted with katakuriko and slice into rectangles (use a plastic knife or pizza cutter to prevent mochi from sticking to the knife). Continue dusting with katakuriko as needed to prevent sticking.
Leftover chi chi dango can be saved in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.

Notes

I've been noticing recently that when I make this mochi, it's been a little on the watery side. I suspect that the batter gets a little thin when using organic coconut milk rather than coconut milk with added emulsifiers (like guam gar). If your coconut milk has guam gar, make the recipe as written. If you are using an organic coconut milk, you have some options.

Option 1: you can decrease to 1 or 1 1/2 cups water and reduce baking time to 8-10 minutes for the first two layers and about 20 minutes for the last layer. This mochi will be slightly firmer. Option 2: Uncover the mochi in the last 15 minutes of baking to make sure all the water evaporates.