Hi Aaron! Great question, you can absolutely steam cook your rice instead of using a rice cooker. I’m not sure how long you’d have to pre-soak the rice, and I don’t think the level of the steamer matters too much. But however you normally steam cook your rice, do that. Then right when the rice is done cooking, put it in the kitchen aid mixer.

If you have a blender, you can try this other method instead – instead of the microwave, you could also steam it to cook the mochi: https://adventuresofcarlienne.com/simplest-way-to-make-daifuku-mochi/

Let us know if how it goes and if you have any more questions!

Hi LW, we’re so happy to have you along!! Perfect timing as part 5 comes out this Sunday! Yep the refrigerated ones just don’t have the same soft chewy bounce as fresh ones, hopefully we’ll have the perfect recipe for making mochi at home and you won’t have to miss out anymore (: