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1
Combine the warabi-ko, sugar, and water in a heavy-based saucepan. Whisk until the starch is fully dissolved and no dry clumps remain. The mixture will appear chalky white and opaque.
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2
Place the pan over medium heat. Begin stirring immediately and continuously with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, reaching all areas of the pan base and corners. Do not stop stirring at any point during the entire cooking period. This is where the dish lives or dies: any pause, however brief, allows the starch to gelatinise unevenly, producing lumps of varying texture that cannot be corrected in the finished confection.
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3
Continue stirring vigorously for 5–8 minutes. The mixture will progress from opaque white through a cloudy intermediate stage to a deep golden translucency. The confection is fully cooked when the entire mass is uniformly translucent with no remaining white opacity — the colour of hon-warabiko will be distinctly deeper and more amber than a blended starch product.
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4
Working quickly, pour or spoon the cooked mass into a lightly wetted mould or shallow tray. Smooth the surface. Allow to cool at room temperature until set — the gel firms noticeably as it cools. The confection is ready to cut when it holds its shape on handling but retains a visible tremble when the vessel is gently moved.
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5
Cut the set warabi-mochi into bite-sized portions. Serve slightly cool — not deeply chilled. Excessive refrigeration produces a rubber-like firmness and destroys the characteristic dissolving softness. Dust generously with kinako and pour kuromitsu over immediately before serving.