This Easy Brown Sugar Mochi Recipe Calls for Just 5 Ingredients

Ciba, or sticky rice cake, is Sichuan’s version of the brown sugar mochi that is ubiquitous in so many Asian food cultures. This is usually made from heavily pounding steamed sticky rice until it forms a cake, but as my lazy self has found, it can also be made with glutinous rice flour and a microwave. This version is rolled in kinako, roasted soybean powder that you can find in Japanese and Korean grocery stores, but if you’d like, you can deep-fry the rice cakes for added texture and flavour.

Brown Sugar Mochi

Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• ¾ cup plus 6 Tbsp of water
• 6 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp kinako

Directions 

1. In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the flour, sugar, and 3⁄4 cup of the water. Whisk well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high heat for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl from the microwave and, using a spatula, mix the batter and pound it for about 5 minutes to remove any clumps, until the batter is smooth, solid and stretchy. Cover and set aside.

2. In a small pan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar with the remaining 6 Tbsp of water. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then pour into a small bowl and set aside.

3. Place the kinako in a small bowl.

4. Generously dust a flat work surface with flour, then place the mochi batter on it and massage it to form a long log. Using a knife, cut the log into 1-inch pieces and, using your hands, form the pieces into balls. Roll and coat each piece in the kinako and place in a serving bowl.

5. When ready to serve, drizzle the brown sugar syrup on top of the mochi.

Excerpted from The Book of Sichuan Chili Crisp by Jing Gao. Copyright © 2023 Jing Gao. Photography by Yudi Ela Echevarria and Robert Nilsson. Published by Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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