This Maehara Seifun Hachimitsu Kinako Warabi Mochi Set follows on from the kuromitsu set.
The set contained enough warabi mochiko and honey kinako for 3-4 servings of warabi mochi.
The warabi mochi is prepared by adding the 120 g bag of warabi mochiko and 40 of white sugar with 500-600 mL of cold water to a saucepan (at least 18 cm in diameter for even heating) and stir until the mixture is smooth with no lumps.
Hear the mixture in the saucepan over high heat and stir slowly. After 2-3 minutes, clear lumps will form in the milky liquid. The mixture is ready after all the milky liquid has turned into a clear and sticky paste (around 5 minutes).
Wet the surface of a 22 x 14 x 3 cm tray before pouring the clear mixture into it. Alternatively, spoonfuls of the mixture can be dropped in a bowl of ice water. This is the method used for the kuromitsu set, but I prefer this tray method as the mixture is easier to manage.
After submerging the exterior of the tray (not the mixture) in an ice bath for 10-15 minutes, the warabi mochi is ready to be cut up and served. Wetting the knife with water in between making slices results in a cleaner cut without the warabi mochi sticking to the knife.
Dust the squares of warabi mochi with the honey kinako and it’s ready to eat. The warabi mochi has no flavour of its own, so the quality of the toppings is essential. Here, the honey kinako brought a sweet nuttiness to the jelly-like, chewy and slippery texture of the warabi mochi.
This Maehara Seifun Hachimitsu Kinako Warabi Mochi Set contained 155 g including bracken starch (warabi mochiko) and honey soybean powder (kinako). It was produced in Japan and purchased in Sydney, Australia in 2017.