Daifuku

Ingredients

• 6⅓ ozshiratamako (glutinous rice flour)sweet glutinous rice flour, not regular rice flour; for the mochi dough
• ¾ cupwaterfor the dough, stir in gradually
• 2½ ozsugarinto the dough; keeps the mochi soft
• 10½ ozsweet red bean paste (anko)smooth (koshian) or chunky (tsubuan); rolled into balls as filling
• 1¾ ozpotato starchor cornstarch; for dusting surface, hands and finished daifuku
• 12strawberriessmall, firm, washed and patted dry; wrapped in anko for ichigo daifuku (optional)

Method

1. Portion and chill the fillingDivide the sweet red bean paste (anko) into equal portions, roll each into a smooth ball and chill for about 30 minutes so they're easier to wrap later.
2. Dust the work surfaceDust a work surface or a sheet of baking paper generously with potato starch.
3. Mix the mochi batterIn a microwave-safe bowl, mix the glutinous rice flour and sugar, then gradually stir in the water until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
4. Microwave the doughCover the bowl and microwave the dough for 1 minute, then stir it hard with a wet spatula. Keep cooking in 30-second bursts, stirring well each time, until the mixture is thick, glossy and almost translucent. Don't overcook it, or the mochi will turn hard.
5. Let the dough coolTip the hot dough onto the dusted surface, dust the top with starch too, and let it cool for a few minutes until you can handle it.
6. Divide and flatten the doughCut the dough into as many equal pieces as you have filling balls, and with starch-dusted hands press each piece into a flat disc.
7. Fill and seal the daifukuSet a ball of anko in the centre of each disc, draw the edges up around it and pinch them firmly together at the top. Place each daifuku seam side down.
8. Coat in starchRoll each daifuku in starch all over and gently tap off the excess.
9. Serve and storeDaifuku are best eaten fresh. Store any leftovers airtight in a cool place, but not in the fridge, where the dough firms up.

Tips and variations

For ichigo daifuku, wrap a small, firm strawberry in anko before enclosing it in the dough. Instead of using the microwave, you can steam the bowl of dough for about 15 minutes. Other fillings work well too: whipped cream with vanilla and fresh fruit (chill before serving), speculoos spread, Nutella or jam. Dusting with kinako instead of starch adds a nutty note, and a little food colouring, red and white for instance, makes them festive. Shiratamako gives a very stretchy dough, joshinko a firmer one. Serve them the day you make them, nicely arranged on a plate or packed up as a gift.