Steps

1. [0:27] In a bowl, combine 10g Kinako, 10g Sugar, and a pinch of Salt. Mix well. [Key Tip!] Adding salt enhances the sweetness of the sugar, making for delicious kinako. Have this ready before heating the mochi.
2. [1:08] Cut Kirimochi in half. If there's a score line, break it along the line.
3. [1:26] Place 1 cut Kirimochi in a microwave-safe bowl. Add enough water to cover the mochi and microwave on 600W for 1 minute.
4. [1:55] After microwaving, if the mochi is still hard, flip it over and microwave for an additional 10 seconds, then check. [Key Tip!] Water and microwaving achieve the perfect mochi softness. Be careful not to overcook, or it will become mushy.
5. [2:20] Drain the water from the softened mochi and place it in the kinako bowl prepared in Step 1. Coat the mochi evenly with kinako (first coating).
6. [2:49] Remove the kinako-coated mochi and coat it generously with kinako again (second coating). [Key Tip!] Double-coating with plenty of kinako ensures a rich flavor.
7. [3:51] Place Kirimochi on a toaster oven tray lined with parchment paper and toast until it puffs up.
8. [4:22] In a small bowl, combine 2 tsp Soy Sauce and 1 tsp Sugar. Mix well to create the sauce.
9. [4:59] Dip the hot, freshly toasted mochi into the sauce made in Step 8. Lift it out briefly to let it soak in, then dip again (repeat about 3 times in total). [Key Tip!] Instead of applying a large amount of sauce at once, dipping multiple times allows the sauce to penetrate the mochi well.
10. [5:24] Shake off any excess sauce and wrap the mochi with roasted seaweed. [Key Tip!] If the seaweed is not pliable, lightly toast it over a gas flame for better aroma.
11. [6:31] In a microwave-safe dish, combine 60ml Water, 2 tsp Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp Mirin (Sweet Rice Wine), 2 tbsp Sugar, and 2 tsp Potato Starch. Whisk thoroughly to prevent lumps at the bottom.
12. [6:56] Microwave the dish from Step 11 on 600W for 40 seconds.
13. [7:17] After microwaving, whisk the mixture thoroughly, especially the bottom which tends to thicken, to ensure no lumps. [Key Tip!] Skipping this step can lead to lumps, so whisk diligently.
14. [7:35] Microwave again for another 40 seconds on 600W. Stop heating once the mixture starts to bubble. [Key Tip!] If it doesn't bubble, add an extra 10-20 seconds of heating. Remember to whisk again before adding extra time.
15. [8:11] Similar to the first kinako mochi, place 1 Kirimochi in a microwave-safe bowl with enough cold water to cover. Microwave on 600W for 1 minute. [Key Tip!] Even when heating multiple pieces of mochi, heating them one by one in cold water reduces the chance of failure.
16. [8:40] Drain the hot mochi from the microwave and coat it in the Mitarashi sauce prepared in Step 14. [Key Tip!] If there's too little Mitarashi sauce, it will be difficult to coat the mochi. This recipe's quantity can handle up to approximately 3 pieces of mochi.