Chīzu Imomochi with Soy-Honey Glaze (Printable)

Chewy potato mochi with melty cheese center, pan-fried golden and coated in sweet-savory soy-honey glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Dumplings

01 - 14 oz russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
02 - ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch
03 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 3 oz 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

# How To Make It:

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 until well combined.
03 - Add potato starch to mashed potatoes and knead until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add additional starch incrementally if dough remains overly sticky.
04 - Divide dough into 8 equal portions. Flatten each piece into a disc, place a cheese cube in the center, and wrap dough around to seal, forming a ball.
05 - Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add dumplings and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides achieve golden brown coloration, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
06 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, mirin, and rice vinegar. Pour glaze into skillet with dumplings. Toss gently to coat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats dumplings evenly.
07 - Transfer to serving vessel while warm. Optionally garnish with sliced scallions or toasted sesame seeds.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It uses just a handful of pantry staples but tastes like something special you'd order out.
  • The contrast between soft potato and gooey melted cheese is ridiculously satisfying.
  • The soy-honey glaze clings to every bite and balances salty with just enough sweetness.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the potatoes well after boiling, extra moisture makes the dough too loose and hard to shape.
  • Seal the dough tightly around the cheese or it will leak out during frying and make a mess in the pan.
  • Use medium heat when frying so the outside crisps without burning before the cheese melts inside.
03 -
  • Work quickly when shaping the dough while it's still slightly warm, it's easier to handle and seals better.
  • If the glaze gets too thick, add a teaspoon of water and swirl the pan to loosen it back up.
  • Don't overcrowd the skillet or the dumplings won't brown evenly, fry in batches if needed.
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