This recipe is intended to make several mochi balls without fillings, as these were intended to be embedded inside other desserts such as mooncakes. While I had perused many sites for tips and techniques, most of the below recipe was adapted from Just One Cookbook.
- Whisk together the mochiko and sugar. Pour in the liquid and whisk until everything is completely blended.
- Cover the bowl with a plate and microwave on high for 1 minute. Using a rubber or silicone spatula, mix up the contents (making sure to scrape down the sides), then microwave for another minute. Scrape down and mix, then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix the now-pasty contents one more time to ensure everything is blended.
- Lay parchment paper down on a work surface and keep half a cup of corn or potato starch nearby. Using two spoons, measure out about 20 g of the mochi paste onto a scale. Coating your fingertips and palms with the starch, pick up the measured mochi paste and roll into a ball, then dip directly into the starch to cover the surface more thoroughly, brushing off the excess and ensuring that it is no longer sticky to handle. Repeat until the mochi paste has been used up.
- Can be eaten plain, or stored in an air-tight container.