Japan
Daifuku
Soft mochi made from glutinous rice flour, filled with sweet red bean paste
60 min·12 servings
shiratamako (glutinous rice flour)
Japanese flour made from glutinous rice, coarse-grained and white, used to form smooth, elastic dumplings such as dango.
Shiratamako is made from glutinous rice (mochigome) that is soaked, wet-milled and dried, which is why it comes as irregular, chalky granules rather than a fine powder. Kneaded with water it forms a supple dough that turns soft, smooth and distinctly chewy-elastic when cooked, with a mild, faintly sweet rice flavour. That texture is the reason to use it, for dango, daifuku or shiratama dumplings in sweet soups. Despite the name, glutinous rice contains no gluten; the stickiness comes from its starch. It is sold in Asian grocery shops, especially those stocking Japanese goods, and by mail order.
Substitute:
Mochiko or Thai glutinous rice flour from an Asian shop will work because they come from the same rice, but the dough turns out slightly less silky and a little firmer, and since they absorb water differently, add it gradually until the dough feels like an earlobe. Ordinary rice flour or wheat flour is no substitute, as neither becomes chewy and elastic.
Used in · 1 recipe