Easiest Way to Make Tasty Ohagi (Bota Mochi)

Ohagi (Bota Mochi). Ohagi, or botamochi, are sweet rice balls which are usually made with glutinous rice. They are commonly eaten during higan periods in spring and autumn, a Buddhist holiday celebrated by Japanese sects during both equinoxes. The name, ohagi, came from the autumn flower, hagi (bush clover).

Ohagi in the Autumn and Botamochi in the Spring. This food is called 'Ohagi' in Japan. There is an almost identical food called 'Bota Mochi'. You can have Ohagi (Bota Mochi) using 5 ingredients and 7 steps. Here is how you cook that.

Ingredients of Ohagi (Bota Mochi)

1. You need 2 cups of (*180ml cup) Glutenous Short Grain Rice.
2. Prepare of *Note: You can replace 1/2 cup (90ml) of it with regular Short Grain Rice.
3. You need 1 pinch of Salt.
4. Prepare of Sweet Azuki Paste *Tsubu-an OR Koshi-an.
5. You need of Kinako (finely ground Roasted Soy Beans) & Sugar *See ‘Method 5’.

During the equinoctial weeks in Spring and Autumn, this food is traditionally prepared. It is basically a ball of slightly pounded glutenous rice covered with Sweet Azuki Paste. We are making Japanese autumn dessert, Ohagi also known as Botamochi in spring. The pounded rice is still soft.

Ohagi (Bota Mochi) step by step

1. Wash Rice and place it in the rice cooker. Add water up to the 2-cups-marking. Allow to soak for 30 minutes if you have time..
2. Add 1 pinch Salt and press ‘COOK’ button to start cooking..
3. Transfer to a bowl. Using a pestle or something similar, pound the hot rice, wetting the pestle with Water frequently. Stop pounding when the texture is rubbery like Mochi yet you still see grains..
4. Wet your hands with Water and make 3 x 4cm (or larger) balls, and cover with Sweet Azuki Paste or Kinako Sugar..
5. How to make Kinako Sugar: Kinako is finely ground Roasted Soy Beans. Mix a same amount of Kinako and Caster Sugar with 1 pinch Salt..
6. Easy method to cover with Azuki Paste: Spread Azuki Paste thinly on a sheet of plastic food wrap, about twice the size of the rice ball. Place the rice ball and wrap it and cover the rice ball with Azuki Paste evenly..
7. *Note: Naturally you can do this process without the plastic wrap. Thinly spread Azuki Paste on your palm, place rice ball on it, then cover it around..

Enjoy the delicious fresh Ohagi or Botamochi! Ohagi, which is eaten in the fall, and Botamochi, which is eaten in the spring, both consist of sweet rice, known as "mochi gome," and sweet red bean paste. While both made in the same flower shape, Ohagi is named after the bush clover (hagi), which blooms in fall, while Botamochi is named after the spring blooming peony (botan). The week starts three days before the equinox and ends three days after the equinox. The spring higan is to pay respects to nature and all life while the autumn higan is to pay respects to one's ancestors..

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