How do you make Mizuame?

Ingredients:

- 5 cups of glutinous rice

- 9 cups of water

Instruction:

Step 1: Washing the rice

- Rinse the glutinous rice thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or impurities.

Step 2: Soaking the rice

- Place the rinsed rice in a large bowl or pot and add enough water to cover the rice by about 2 inches.

- Let the rice soak for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Step 3: Steaming the rice

- Set up a steamer. Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Place a steamer basket over the pot.

- Drain the soaked rice and place it in the steamer basket.

- Cover the steamer and steam the rice for about 25 minutes or until it is tender and fluffy.

Step 4: Preparing the rice slurry

- Once the rice is cooked, transfer it to a large bowl or pot and let it cool slightly.

- Add 5 cups of water and use a food processor or blender to puree the rice until it forms a smooth slurry.

Step 5: Straining the rice slurry

- Set up a fine-mesh strainer over a large pot or bowl.

- Pour the rice slurry through the strainer to separate the liquid from the solids.

- Discard the solids and keep the liquid.

Step 6: Simmering the liquid

- Bring the strained liquid to a simmer over medium heat.

- Let it simmer for about 2 hours or until it has reduced by about half its original volume. Stir the liquid occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Step 7: Cooking the mizuame

- Continue to simmer the reduced liquid over low heat, stirring frequently.

- As it continues to cook, it will gradually thicken into a syrup.

- Cook until it reaches the desired consistency. The consistency of mizuame should be thick, but still pourable.

Step 8: Storing the mizuame

- Let the mizuame cool completely.

- Transfer it to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.

- Mizuame can be stored for several months.

Enjoy your homemade mizuame! It can be used as a sweetener or thickener in various dessert and confectionary preparations, adding a unique flavor and texture to your recipes.