Warabi Mochi

Steps

1. Start with the kuromitsu syrup. Break up the black sugar if it comes in chunks, then put it in a small saucepan with the 60 ml of water. Heat over medium, stirring, until it dissolves, then let it simmer gently for 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, skimming off any foam. It's ready when it coats the spoon and the bubbles get bigger and slower. Let it cool in a bowl: it thickens as it cools.
2. Mix the kinako with the pinch of salt. Sift half of it in an even layer into a square dish about 7 inches (18 cm) across; keep the other half in the sifter.
3. If the warabi starch is lumpy, crush it in the bottom of a nonstick saucepan with the back of a spoon. Add the sugar, then pour in the cold water little by little while whisking, off the heat, until you have a smooth, milky liquid with no lumps at all.
4. Set the pan over medium heat and stir constantly with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and corners well. After 3 to 4 minutes, translucent clumps form on the bottom: that's the starch starting to set. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir harder.
5. Keep going for 5 to 8 minutes, smearing and folding the paste over itself. It turns completely translucent, light grayish-brown with warabiko, very elastic, and pulls away from the sides in a single mass. There should be no opaque white streaks left. Work it for another 1 to 2 minutes for a firmer, bouncier bite.
6. Immediately scrape the paste onto the kinako in the dish and spread it with a damp spatula into a layer about 5/8 inch (1.5 cm) thick. Sift the remaining kinako over the top. Let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, without refrigerating.
7. Cut the slab into 3/4- to 1 1/4-inch (2 to 3 cm) cubes with a knife or bench scraper dusted with kinako, wiping the blade between cuts. Roll each piece in the kinako in the dish to coat it on all sides.
8. If you like them chilled, put the plate in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes just before serving, no longer. Arrange the pieces on a white plate and drizzle with kuromitsu right before serving, or serve the syrup on the side.