Mochi Pearls

This is a reliable recipe for mochi, which you can eat alone or sprinkle on ice cream or fro-yo.

Yield 3 to 4 cups 
Prep Time 30 minutes 
Cooking Time 10 minutes for the syrup

RELATED recipes: Mochi Ice Cream,
Choco-Berry Mochi Balls, mochi recipes

1 1/2 cups rice flour,
      plus 1 cup for kneading and 
      1/4 cup for dusting
pinch of salt
1 1/3 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon clear vanilla extract or
      any flavoring of your choice
food coloring of your choice

1  Mix together rice flour and salt; set aside.

2  Place water, sugar, and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and continue to simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

3  Make a well in the center of the rice flour mixture and pour in the sugar syrup gradually. Stir until a sticky dough is formed. Immediately turn dough onto a work surface dusted with rice flour and knead until smooth and elastic. More rice flour can be added to prevent sticking.

4  Sprinkle vanilla or desired flavoring and knead into the dough. Knead in food coloring as desired.

5  Roll dough into long, thin logs (about 1/4-inch in diameter). With a sharp knife or dough scraper, cut logs into 1/2-inch-thick pieces. Place mochi in an airtight container. Sift rice flour over them and toss to coat each piece. Store in the freezer until ready to use.

6  Place on top of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Photography by Miguel Nacianceno | Styling by Paulynn Chang Afable