Coconut Dusted Japanese Sticky Rice Balls

• 1 cup glutinous rice flour (also called sticky rice flour) available at most Asian/Oriental stores
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
• Oil or cooking spray to coat a cookie sheet

Combine the rice flour and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Add 1/3 can of the coconut milk to the flour. Mix well with a spoon. The mixture should be stiff but pliable, like play dough. If too stiff add more milk. If too sticky, add more flour. If you want food coloring or flavoring, add now.

Take a little bit of the dough and make 1" balls. Indent the ball with your thumb or finger. Put 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar in the indentation and pack down.
Pinch the ball closed and re-roll into a round shape. Makes 12-15 balls.

Fill a large pot half full of water and bring to a full rolling boil. Drop ALL of the balls into the water at once and turn the heat down so there is a gentle boil. The balls will sink to the bottom of the pot, but in a minute or two they will begin to float. Once all the balls are floating, cook 2 more minutes.

While the balls are cooking, pour the coconut into a shallow dish and spray a cookie sheet with the oil.

Once the two minutes are up, remove the balls from the water and roll them in the coconut. Then place them on the cookie sheet.

You can eat them warm or you can store them in an airtight container. Do not put them in the refrigerator or they will dry out. They should be eaten within a day or two of cooking.