What’s Shiratamako? Guide to Japanese Sweet Rice Flour

Shiratamako is a type of glutinous rice flour used to make many types of wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets). Shiratamako is made from mochigome, a variety of glutinous, short-grain rice from Japan. Also known as sticky rice or sweet rice, glutinous rice is gluten-free but clumps together in a way that's ideal for making rice dough. To make shiratamako, the mochigome is soaked in water, ground into a paste, then dried and lightly ground.

Shiratamako is the rice flour of choice when making wagashi. Some of the many confections you can make with shiratamako include:

1. 1. Mochi: These chewy rice cakes are traditionally made with freshly steamed and pounded mochigome but are much easier to make with shiratamako. Kinako mochi (mochi dusted with soybean flour) is a popular variety.
2. 2. Daifuku: One of the most famous versions of daifuku features a strawberry wrapped in red bean paste and covered in gyuhi, a softer version of mochi.
3. 3. Shiratama Dango: These dumplings made from shiratamako can be eaten on their own or used as a topping for zenzai (sweet red bean soup) or anmitsu, a matcha green tea ice cream sundae with jelly and fruit.

Shiratamako and mochiko are both sweet rice flours used to make Japanese desserts, but there are a few key differences:

1. 1. Particle size: Shiratamako is sold in coarse granules, like rock sugar, whereas mochiko is a fine, flour-like substance.
2. 2. Accessibility: Shiratamako is exclusively made in Japan and can be more expensive and more difficult to find than mochiko, but well-stocked Japanese grocery stores carry it.
3. 3. Production method: Shiratamako uses the wet meal method, in which the rice is soaked in water, ground into a paste, then dried and crushed into small pieces. Mochiko is made by washing, drying, and grinding the rice.
4. 4. Absorbency: Shiratamako is more absorbent than mochiko and therefore easier to form into a smooth, elastic dough.

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