If you’ve never had poi mochi, you’re missing out. Deep fried balls of sweet rice flour and poi, YUM YUM YUM.
I don’t know who to credit as the original creator of the famous poi mochi, but I surely remember my first encounter with it. Years ago, a local family had a little pop up shop in front of one of the big box stores on the island. They called themselves Uncle Lani’s Poi Mochi. They deep fried these amazing balls of goodness and popped it in a little white box with a stamp of their logo on it. I could eat them by the dozen if my mom would have let me back then.
Then to my oh so broken heart they stopped coming to their usual spot and even to the outer island. Ahh now what was I to do? Well, naturally, you figure out how to make your own. And alas now I can just whip up my own batch when I’m craving some.
If you love mochi, check out some of these other mochi recipes
- Mochi brownies
- Red velvet mochi waffles
- Mochi pancakes
- Ube mochi waffles
- Ube mochi
- Mochi waffles
- Ozoni (mochi soup)
- Classic mochi
- Butter mochi
What is mochi?
Mochi is a Japanese sweet rice cake. It is made from a short grain glutinous rice that is pounded into a paste. In Japan, mochi is a sign of good fortune. It is often consumed during the new year. Today, there are many variations to the traditional mochi. Like this recipe for poi mochi.
What is poi?
Poi is made from steamed and mashed kalo (taro) root and thinned with water. Poi is the ultimate staple food of Hawai’i. Kalo is highly revered in the native Hawaiian culture. The kalo plant is believed to be the original ancestor of the Hawaiian people. My favorite would have to be Aloha Poi.
Poi can be left out on the counter preferably in an airtight container for a few days. Personally I love one or two day old two finger poi. If you know, you know. If you don’t know I’ll enlighten you.
Poi goes through a fermentation process when left out. This changes the taste. We call it sour poi here and how I prefer it. Heck I’ll eat poi any way, fresh or sour. My daughter on the other hand prefers it fresh out of the bag. Two finger refers to the consistency of the poi. The thicker consistency poi requires less fingers to scoop and eat. Okay okay, I’ll admit, as a grown adult, I eat my poi with a spoon. But if I happened to be utensil-less I would surely revert to using what I was given to eat. . .my fingers.
You can store poi in refrigerator in an airtight container to slow the fermentation process down and prolong shelf life.
Where can I find poi?
If you live in Hawai’i, as I do, you can find poi in just about any local grocery store. If you are on the mainland you may have a harder time. But you’re in luck, there are a few shipping options. Taro brand poi makes a dehydrated powdered form that is sold on Amazon. Another option I have seen is from orderhawaiianfood.com. I have not used this option, but thought I’d share it with you.
What are the health benefits of poi?
- Low in fat
- High in vitamin
- Easily digestable
- Makes great baby food
- Gluten free
Now on to why you’re here, the star of the show. . .POI MOCHI.
What is poi mochi?
It’s just that, mochi made with a poi base. Its crispy golden brown shell and sweet gummy center makes for great pupus (appetizers) or dessert.
What’s in poi mochi?
- POI (well obviously)
- Water
- Sugar
- Mochiko flour
Where can I find mochiko flour?
Mochiko flour can usually be found in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store. But as we’ve seen the trend, you can also purchase it on Amazon. I like to use Koda Farms brand of mochiko flour (not sponsored), but you can use any you like.
How to store poi mochi?
Poi mochi is best eaten fresh. You can eat it in a day or two later, but at that point it’s pretty soggy. If you aren’t planning to eat an entire batch in a day or two I suggest mixing up the batter, cooking what you need, and storing the rest. You can store the batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days or freeze it in a zip top bag for 4-6 months. When ready to make another batch, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. You can also defrost under warm water or in the microwave.
How to make poi mochi?
Heat cooking oil of choice to over medium high heat to about 350-375F. Meanwhile combine, poi, water, sugar, and mochiko flour. Mix until well combined. Dough will resemble that of thick muffin batter. Using a small cookie scoop, place about 1 tablespoon of dough into the hot oil. Fry for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown turning halfway through the cooking time. Remove poi mochi from hot oil and place on a paper towel to catch the excess oil. Cool ever so slightly and ENJOY!
Poi Mochi
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1 pound bag of poi
- 2 cups water
- 3 1/2 cup mochiko flour
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Frying oil of choice
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil of choice to over medium high heat to about 350-375F.
- Meanwhile combine, poi, water, sugar, and mochiko flour. Mix until well combined. Dough will resemble that of thick muffin batter.
- Using a small cookie scoop, place about 1 tablespoon of dough into the hot oil. Fry for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown turning halfway through the cooking time.
- Remove poi mochi from hot oil and place on a paper towel to catch the excess oil. Cool ever so slightly and ENJOY!
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I substitute sweet potatoes, , cassava or taro for the poi?
Hi Marissa. Poi is mashed up taro and water. I’ve never tried it with sweet potatoes or cassava, but sounds like it would be awesome. Let me know if you try it. Thanks for watching.
I used to make poi mochi and sell at the aloha stadium, we made the poi mochi batter then we added whatever
Original ( plain)
Cooked okinawan potatoes
Unsweetened coconut
Apple banana
Apples and cinnamon …
Pineapple didn’t work was too watery and acidic however dried pineapple may work also never tried mango but that too may work…
Also a tbsp of baking powder makes a difference in the poi mochi
Sounds so yummy!
How u made your batter. I going try at my restaurant 😃
Thanks for stopping by.
I tried this with mashed ube and it was lovely! Had to do a quarter batch though because it’s just me (although i certainly thought about it lol). Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Hi Desmond. Nice! Sounds yummy. Thanks for sharing. Have a great day!
These turned out so ono. I was able to clear out a bag of poi from the freezer and enjoy a delicious treat. Thank you.
Nice! Perfect use of frozen poi. Thanks for sharing!
I made your Ono moçhi balls a week ago. I don’t have a thermometer to check temperature on the oil. So my first batch was kind of burnt so I kept dropping the heat until I finally got it at the right temperature lol. Also it was really oily it didn’t look as nice as yours. All in all it was so ono we couldn’t stop eating it. Mahalo for your delicious recipes.
Hi Nani. Thanks for sharing. Too hot will cook the outside too quickly and the inside will still be raw. Too low will allow the oil to soak into the poi mochi. There is a sweet spoot. After frying you also want to set it on a paper towel or something to absorb the excess oil, just like any other fried food. Have a great day.
Can you freeze the dough? Maybe in already scooped portions?
I’ve never tried it. Let me know if you try it. Thanks for stopping by.
Just made this, and it came out great! My husband said it’s the best poi mochi he’s ever had! I rolled a few in a cinnamon/sugar mixture once it was pau cooking and really like it that way 🙂 My husband likes it plain.
So awesome. Thanks so much for sharing.
made this as a funnel cake instead of mochi balls and was amazing! i amazed myself and my family lol. Definitely going to be attempting more of your recipes. Mahalo!
Ooh yum. Sounds amazing!!
This recipe is ono!! However whenever I make it my poi mochi always sticks to the bottom of my pot, so I gotta scrape them off the bottom to flip it over… is there anything I can do to prevent that?
Aloha Jessica. Make sure your oil is at 350F or if all else fails use a non-stick pot. Hope that helps.
how much oil do you put
Depends on the size of the pot. You want at least an inch or two so that when you drop the poi mochi in the dough doesn’t touch the bottom of the pan.
Uncle Lani’s still exists! They’re a good truck and drive to different spots on the island now, a few spots they frequent every week.
*food truck
Nice. Hope to see them on Maui again.
Uncle Lani is always at the Kamakana Alii mall parking lot every weekend.
Aw nice. Wish I was on O’ahu to enjoy it. Happy Holidays.
How do you keep it looking like a ball? Maybe my mixture was to thin.
Yes, batter was too thin. Each brand of poi has different consistency. Add a little bit of water at a time as you go. You can always add more water if you need.
Love your recipes.
I’ve made this before and it came out perfect. I tried it again and the batter seems runny. When I drop them in the oil, they don’t hold their shape and they come out hard. Not sure if I need to add more mochiko or some kind of flour. Help!
Aloha, Every brand of poi has a different amount of water. I suggest starting with less water and add more as you go. If it’s too runny add more mochiko flour. If too thick add water. A little at a time until you get the right consistency. Hope this helps.
Excellent recipe! My batter was little thin because I added too much water. I kept my hand steady when dropping into the pan to get a round shape. Also, found the sweet spot temperature (medium heat #5 on my Samsung stove). Tip: Do not walk away from stove while cooking no matter what. Turn that phone off and do not go to the bathroom. ; )
Yes each brand of poi has a different amount of water. Better to start with less and add more if need be. Happy to hear you enjoyed it. Happy Holidays.