Step 1

Measure the glutinous rice. 1 RICE MEASURING CUP (180 ml) of glutinous rice is 150 grams. You will need 3 rice cooker cups (540 ml), which is 450 grams.

Step 2

To rinse the glutinous rice, put the rice in a large bowl and add some water. Stir with your hands and quickly drain the water.

Step 3

Then gently stir the rice with your fingertips. Glutinous rice is easily broken, so you don’t need to use your strength. Just stir a few times.

Step 4

Add water in the bowl, and carefully rinse for 4-5 times. Drain the rice into a fine mesh sieve/colander.

Step 5

Shake the sieve/colander to remove excess water. Then transfer the rice into the inner pot of rice cooker.

Step 6

Make the rice flat and add 400 ml/gram of clean water. The water should be at 3-cup line for SWEET RICE. Evenly distribute the rice with chopsticks or fingers.

Step 7

Close the lid of the rice cooker. Select “REGULAR” on the menu and start cooking. REGULAR cooking is usually 5-10 minutes longer than “SWEET” setting. As soon as the rice is cooked, we can take it out immediately.

Step 8

When the rice is almost done, prepare about 4-5 cups boiling water. Once the hot water is ready, pour 1/3 boiled water into your stand mixer bowl to keep warm, 1/3 into a mixing bowl that can soak a dough hook and a flat beater, and the rest into a 2-cup measuring cup that can soak a silicone spatula. Make sure the water is enough to cover the tools.

Step 9

Discard the hot water in the stand mixer. Transfer all the cooked glutinous rice into the stand mixer.

Step 10

Set the dough hook attachment in your stand mixer. Start kneading the glutinous rice with Number 2 Speed. Set timer for 3 minutes. (Repeat the process 4 times.)

Step 11

The dough hook will start pulling in the rice.

Step 12

[Optional] While kneading, you can use your wet silicone spatula to detach the glutinous rice from the wall of the stand mixer.

Step 13

3-minute timer beeps [03:00]. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, keeping the dough hook attached. Using the wet silicone spatula, flip the glutinous rice. Dip the spatula in water a few times so it doesn’t get sticky.

Step 14

Put the bowl back to the stand mixer and start kneading again with Number 2 Speed. Reset timer for 3 minutes.

Step 15

3-minute timer beeps [06:00]. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and flip the glutinous rice again, using the wet silicone spatula. Now the rice grains are less visible and start to look like mochi.

Step 16

Put the bowl back to the stand mixer and start kneading again with Number 2 Speed. Reset timer for 3 minutes.

Step 17

3-minute timer beeps [09:00]. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and flip the glutinous rice again, using the wet silicone spatula. Now it’s getting stickier and elastic.

Step 18

Put the bowl back to the stand mixer and start kneading again with Number 2 Speed. Reset timer for 3 minutes.

Step 19

3-minute timer beeps [12:00]. Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and flip the glutinous rice again, using the wet silicone spatula. Now the kneading is completed.

Step 20

Remove the dough hook attachment from the stand mixer and change to a flat beater attachment.

Step 21

Beat the mochi with Number 3 Speed. Set timer for 30 seconds. (Repeat the pounding process 4 times.)

Step 22

30-second timer beeps [00:30]. This time you do not need to remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Scrape mochi as much as you can from the side of the bowl, using the wet silicone spatula.

Step 23

Reset timer for 30 seconds. Start beating again with Number 3 Speed. 30-second timer beeps [01:00]. Scrape mochi again from the side of the bowl, using the wet silicone spatula.

Step 24

Reset timer for 30 seconds. Start beating again with Number 3 Speed. 30-second timer beeps [01:30]. Scrape mochi again from the side of the bowl, using the wet silicone spatula.

Step 25

Reset timer for 30 seconds. Start beating again with Number 3 Speed. 30-second timer beeps [02:00]. Scrape mochi again from the side of the bowl, using the wet silicone spatula. Now the pounding is done.

Step 26

Prepare two rimmed baking sheets by covering them with potato starch. Put all the mochi on one of the baking sheets. The other one is for keeping mochi balls.

Step 27

Sprinkle some potato starch on top of the mochi. Make sure your hands are completely dry and cover them with potato starch. Keep extra starch handy so you can always dust your hands when needed.

Step 28

Spread the potato starch on top of the mochi, making sure there is no sticky part left. Pick up a corner of the mochi and start tucking in the edges underneath.

Step 29

When it becomes a mound of a thick layer, make a “C” with your left pointing finger and thumb over the edge of mochi.

Step 30

Using your right hand to tuck in and push up the mochi underneath to create a ball shape above “C” fingers.

Step 31

Using the “C” fingers, pinch underneath the ball to cut off the mochi. Use the right hand to assist by twisting. Do not pull the mochi as it creates stick surface.

Step 32

This is a bad example. You don’t want to pull the mochi. The sticky mochi surface appears and now your hands get sticky when you touch it. REMEMBER: Pinch & Twist. Pinch & Twist.

Step 33

Once you make the mochi balls, transfer to the other rimmed baking sheet. When you're ready to use, dust off the starch with a pastry brush or with your dry hands.  Enjoy your mochi in Japanese New Year Soup (Ozoni) and Red Bean Soup, or make Anko Mochi or Kinako Mochi  (see below)

Step 34

If you do not use the mochi immediately, cover each one individually with plastic wrap and put in the freezer bag.

Step 35

Flatten the mochi ball by pressing down.

Step 36

Brush off excess starch by hands or a pastry brush. This is an important step so don’t skip.

Step 37

Put the anko (sweet red bean paste) in the center of each mochi. Pull two sides of the mochi.

Step 38

Pull up the sides and pinch over the anko. Repeat for the other sides and pinch on the top.

Step 39

Lightly dust your hands with potato starch (do not overcoat). Use a light pressure to pinch and seal the top of mochi.

Step 40

In a bowl, combine kinako (soybean flour) and sugar (Ratio: 2 parts kinako, 1 part sugar) and mix well.

Step 41

Pour hot water in a separate bowl. Dip a mochi ball in the hot water.

Step 42

Coat well with the kinako mixture and repeat with the rest. They can be served immediately.