Celebrate Tsukimi with Tsukimi Mochi Pie

Tsukimi is just around the corner! Tsukimi is a moon-viewing day in Japan, celebrated every year in the mid-autumn, on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month. On this day, people gather as a family under the yellow harvest moon and enjoy tsukimi dango and autumn harvest food such as sweet potato and chestnuts.

Although there are a lot of traditional ways to celebrate it, McDonalds in Japan also came up with their own way of celebrating Tsukimi season. They created Tsukimi pie, a crispy fried pie with mochi and anko (red bean paste) inside. So, we recreated Tsukimi pie so that you can explore the flavor of Japan from home!

Tsukimi pie is so simple to make. If you used store-bought anko and pie crusts, all you need to do is make mochi, assemble them and fry them. If you are making anko at home just like we did, make sure to simmer it over low heat, as if you’re steaming the beans. It will make the red beans expand and taste smoother. You can find the recipe for anko here.

Tsukimi Pie

Makes 8 pies

• 6 Tbsp (56g) Mochiko
• 1 ½ Tbsp (25g) Sugar
• One pinch Salt
• 4 ½ Tbsp (66g) Hot water
• 2 Sheets of pie crusts
• 1 Cup Anko

1. Mix in mochiko, sugar and salt in a small microwavable bowl. Add in hot water. Mix until well combined. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and microwave the mochi mixture for 2 minutes. Pound mochi using a wooden spoon or your fist for about 3 minutes until the batter is smooth and stretchy. Divide the batter roughly into 8 pieces. Cover them with plastic wrap and set it aside.
2. Cut off round parts of a pie crust. Cut the crust into 4 rectangles (roll out the crust beforehand if you think the crust is too small for 4 rectangles). Do the same for the other crust.
3. To assemble, place one piece of mochi and 2 Tbsp anko onto one half of a rectangle. Fold the dough in half to cover the fillings and make a smaller rectangle. Finish the edges by pinching and crimping them together, or pressing with a fork. Seal well so the filling doesn’t leak while frying! Repeat the process for the remaining 7 pies. Rest the assembled pies in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
4. Deep fry them in oil. You can test your oil by putting a small piece of leftover pie crust you cut off in step 3. If the crust bubbles up as soon as you put it in, the oil is ready. Fry each side for about 1 minute until the crust is golden brown. Place the fried pies on the paper towels to drain the oil for a couple of minutes and allow to cool slightly before eating.

What is your plan for Tsukimi week? How about making hot crispy mochimochi (chewy) sweet pies at home this weekend? But be careful. Don’t burn your mouth!