Mochi rice is a glutinous rice that is very sticky when cooked. This application is popular throughout Japan and can be flavored or filled.
Prep time: 0 min
Cook time: 185 min
Total time: 185 min

Ingredients
Yields 12.
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1 1/2 Cups Mochi Rice
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Water
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Potato Or Rice Starch
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Green Tea Ice Cream (Optional), frozen hard
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Red Bean Paste (Optional)
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Natural Creamy Peanut Or Almond Butter (Optional)
Directions
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Place rice in food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Transfer rice to large bowl and fill with enough cold water to cover. Soak for 2 to 3 hours, then drain through mesh strainer.
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Place fine-mesh splatter guard on top of pot of water with smaller diameter than splatter guard. Fill pan with about 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly to maintain gentle boil.
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Mound soaked rice in center of splatter guard in 2- to 3-inch high pile. Cover with inverted metal bowl that is higher and wider than rice. Steam 25 to 30 minutes, flipping rice mound halfway through to ensure even cooking. Rice will be translucent.
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Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes before removing bowl (be careful, as it will still be hot). Remove rice from splatter guard.
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Transfer rice to bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Set mixer to setting 2 (low speed), and mix for 5 minutes. Adjust to setting 4 (medium speed), and mix for another 5 minutes, until rice has formed smooth dough. If consistency is too dry, add hot water 1 tablespoon at a time and continue mixing until soft, sticky consistency is achieved.
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Sprinkle potato or rice starch over work surface. Using wet hands, transfer mochi dough to surface. Clean and dry hands. Knead dough, adding more starch to surface and dough as needed, until dough is no longer extremely sticky. Divide into 2-inch balls, and roll each in thin layer of starch.
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To make filled mochi, flatten ball and place 1 teaspoonful of filling (use melon baller to scoop ice cream, making sure it does not soften too much while working). Gather ends of circle together and roll again to form ball with filling inside. Roll in starch to finish. If filling with ice cream, cover and freeze. Otherwise, eat mochi right away or keep covered with damp towel for up to 12 hours before serving.