Mochi Rice Balls — stuffed sweet rice dumplings rolled in coatings
Mochi rice balls — sometimes called ohagi or botamochi depending on season — are pillows of sweet glutinous rice wrapped around an anko centre, then rolled in a coating of kinako (roasted soy flour), black sesame, or matcha. They are simpler and more rustic than the smooth-finished daifuku and have a slightly grainy, just-pounded rice texture.
i. Origin & history
Ohagi take their name from the bush clover (hagi) and are traditionally eaten at the autumn equinox to honour ancestors. The same dish made for the spring equinox is called botamochi, after the peony (botan). Same recipe, different season, different name.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 300 g glutinous rice, soaked 4 hr
- 380 ml water
- 30 g sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 300 g sweet red-bean paste (tsubuan)
- 60 g kinako
- 2 tbsp sugar (to mix with kinako)
- 30 g black sesame seeds, ground
- 2 tbsp sugar (to mix with sesame)
iii. Method
- Cook the soaked rice with the measured water until tender — about 18 minutes in a covered pan, then 10 minutes off the heat.
- Stir in sugar and salt while still hot. Pound the rice with a wet wooden masher until half-mashed — some grains should remain intact.
- Divide rice into 12 portions and anko into 12 portions. Shape each rice portion into a ball with wet hands. Press flat in your palm, place anko in centre, and gather rice up around to enclose.
- Mix kinako with 2 tbsp sugar; mix ground sesame with 2 tbsp sugar.
- Roll one-third of the balls in kinako, one-third in sesame, and leave one-third with the anko on the outside instead (i.e. for those: form anko around rice instead). Eat same day.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Don't fully mash the rice. The half-pounded grain is the texture difference from daifuku.
- Wet hands. Rice sticks to dry hands; water solves it.
- Eat the day made. Ohagi harden overnight.
v. Variations
Goma ohagi emphasises sesame; kinako ohagi emphasises soy flour; anko-coated ohagi reverses the rice/bean orientation. Some makers add edamame paste as a green coating.
vi. Common questions
What is mochi rice balls?
Mochi Rice Balls is stuffed sweet rice dumplings rolled in coatings, from japanese cuisine. They are simpler and more rustic than the smooth-finished daifuku and have a slightly grainy, just-pounded rice texture
Where is mochi rice balls from?
Mochi Rice Balls is from the japanese dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does mochi rice balls keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: Same day.