Mochi ( 年糕 ) is a traditional food popular in Chinese and Japanese cooking, made from ___1___ (special) treated rice. It is often presented in the form of a round cake, and is traditionally exchanged at the New Year. Mochi is made by __2___ (put) sticky rice into water overnight, cooking it and pounding it into a sticky paste. The paste is made into shapes ranging from to complex rounds, some of ___3___ stuffed with sweet fillings. Mochi is often decorated _____4__ flowers or fruits, especially when it is exchanged as ___5_____ gift at celebrations like birthdays and the New Year. Traditionally, wooden mortars ( 臼 ) and pestles ( 杵 ) ____6____ (use) to pound mochi rice. Fresh mochi is usually cooked and served warm with ___7___ (variety) sauces. Steaming and boiling are both popular preparations in Japan, along with cooking. Fresh mochi is soft but it _____8___ (hard) quickly. Pre-packed mochi blocks, flattened and cut into square pieces or shaped into rounds, are available at grocery stores. Mochi can go bad easily, so it’s __9____ (good) to cook soon than to keep it in your fridge. Hard mochi pieces can be cooked, deep-fried, boiled, and more. Cooked mochi is very sticky, so be careful not ___10_____ (choke) on it.