| Daifuku | |
| Alternate Name: | Daifukumochi (Kōhaku type) |
| Country: | Japan |
| Region: | East Asia |
| Main Ingredient: | glutinous rice, sweet filling (usually red bean paste) |
| Variations: | Yomogi daifuku, Ichigo daifuku, Yukimi Daifuku |
, or (literally "great luck"), is a wagashi, a type of Japanese confection, consisting of a small round mochi stuffed with a sweet filling, most commonly anko, a sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans. Daifuku is a popular wagashi in Japan and is often served with green tea.
Daifuku comes in many varieties. The most common are white, pale green, or pale pink-colored mochi filled with anko. Daifuku are approximately 4 cm (1.5 in) in diameter. Nearly all daifuku are covered in a fine layer of rice flour (rice starch), corn starch, or potato starch to keep them from sticking to each other or to the fingers. Though mochitsuki is the traditional method of making mochi and daifuku, they can also be cooked in the microwave.[1]
Daifuku was originally called (belly thick rice cake) because of its filling's nature. Later, the name was changed to (big belly rice cake). Since the pronunciations of (belly) and (luck) are the same in Japanese, the name was further changed to (great luck rice cake), a bringer of good luck. By the end of the 18th century, daifuku were gaining popularity, and people began eating them toasted. They were also used for gifts in ceremonial occasions.[2]