🍲 Naisho Mochi / Nabe Mochi

Rice cakes (mochi) are considered a food for celebratory occasions, so it is common to make them using a mortar and pestle and distribute them to neighbors. However, in everyday life, making mochi for personal consumption would attract attention. To avoid this, instead of using a mortar and pestle, people would steam rice in a pot, partially pound it, and then enjoy the resulting dish. Using uruchimai rice, which is less likely to become sticky than mochi rice, creates a crunchy and easy-to-eat texture, reminiscent of yajiro mochi (tagane mochi), with visible grains. The unique name comes from the fact that this delicious treat was secretly enjoyed within the family, and the absence of the usual pounding sound, "pettan pettan," is part of the origin of its distinctive name. Also, because it is made by pounding in a pot using a utensil resembling a pestle, it is also known as "nabe mochi." The characteristic feature is the presence of leftover rice grains, providing a texture more akin to ohagi than traditional mochi. In recent years, efforts have been made to promote regional development through the use of mugwort naturally growing on the banks of the longest river in Mie Prefecture, the Miya River, or by utilizing rice produced in the active agricultural areas in the middle reaches. This reflects a commitment to local production and consumption.