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1
Cook the soaked glutinous rice by steaming or in a rice cooker until the grains are fully tender and translucent throughout. Drain thoroughly; the cooked rice must carry no surface moisture, or the coating will slip.
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2
While the rice is still hot, pound it with a pestle or the back of a wet wooden spoon — the hangoroshi technique, meaning 'half-killed.' Stop when roughly half the grains are crushed to a sticky mass while the remaining half retain their shape. This is where the dish lives or dies: over-pounding produces uniform mochi and destroys the textural contrast that defines ohagi.
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3
Season the pounded rice with a pinch of salt. Keep the rice covered and work while it is warm — cold rice cracks and will not hold its form. Wet your hands to prevent sticking.
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4
Divide the rice into portions of approximately 50 g each. For anko-coated pieces, flatten a portion of anko in the palm, place a rice ball at the centre, and wrap the paste evenly around it, sealing all seams. The finished piece should feel firm and uniformly covered with no rice visible through the coating.
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5
For kinako pieces, reverse the construction: form a ball of anko, encase it in a rice portion, then roll the assembled piece generously in the kinako-sugar mixture. The kinako coating should be thick and even; it will absorb moisture from the rice and tighten on standing.
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6
For sesame pieces, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and beginning to colour. Grind with sugar to a coarse powder. Roll the assembled rice-and-anko pieces in the mixture. The coating is done when the aroma is fully nutty with no raw or bitter edge — untoasted sesame will produce a flat, harsh result.
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7
Arrange the finished ohagi on a tray, cover to prevent drying, and serve the same day. The pieces are at their best within a few hours of making, when the rice remains pliable and the coatings have not hardened.