noun
refined rice flour; glutinous rice flour for dumplings
Specifically a fine flour made from glutinous rice, used to make shiratama dango and other soft, chewy Japanese sweets. Not interchangeable with regular rice flour (上新粉).
See also: 白玉 (しらたま)
白玉粉で作った白玉団子はもちもちしている。
Shiratama dumplings made with shiratamako are soft and chewy.
このレシピでは白玉粉を使います。
This recipe uses shiratamako (glutinous rice flour).
もち粉 is also glutinous rice flour but is more finely milled and often used for 大福. 白玉粉 is coarser and typically used for 白玉団子.
From 白玉 (しらたま, 'white gem' or 'shiratama dumpling') + 粉 (こ, 'flour'). The name refers to the white, gem-like dumplings made from this flour.