Traditional Taiwanese Mochi

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1. 1Step 1: Pour peanuts into a blender and pulse for 5 seconds. The peanuts won't be finely ground yet.
2. 2Step 2: Use a spoon or rubber spatula to scrape the peanut bits from the sides and pulse for another 5 seconds. Scrape the sides again.
3. 3Step 3: If you're happy with the consistency of the peanut powder, remove it from the blender. If not, pulse for another round. Be careful not to overdo it, or the heat from pulsing will turn the peanuts oily and wet.
4. 4Step 4: Remove peanut powder from the blender, and allow it to cool.
5. 5Step 5: Add sugar to the peanut powder and mix thoroughly. Set the peanut toppings aside.
6. 6Step 6: Soak the rice in water for at least 4 hours.
7. 7Step 7: Drain the rice, and place it in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. Steam for 30 minutes, or until rice is soft and translucent. If you don't have a steamer, you can use other methods to steam the sticky rice.
8. 8Step 8: Once cooked, place the rice in a wooden mortar. Wet the wooden pestle with some warm water and start pounding the sticky rice. Indigenous Taiwanese people use a large wooden pestle and mortar to pound and twist the sticky rice into mochi; however, a smaller one works too! Just be careful not to put too much rice in at once if you're working with smaller tools.
9. 9Step 9: Keep grinding and working at the rice until it starts to look like mochi. Note: This will take a lot of pounding. Don't despair if it takes longer than you think!
10. 10Step 10: Once your rice has become mochi, twist the dough against the pestle to remove it from the mortar in one clump.
11. 11Step 11: Break the mochi dough into smaller bite-sized pieces, roll in peanut mixture (if using) and enjoy!