noun
roasted mochi pieces
Small, bite-sized pieces of mochi that are roasted or deep-fried, often seasoned with soy sauce or sugar. A traditional Japanese snack, similar to but smaller than okaki.
祖母が作ったあられ餅は、醤油の香ばしい味がした。
The arare mochi my grandmother made had a savory soy sauce flavor.
おやつに甘いあられ餅を食べた。
I had some sweet arare mochi for a snack.
Okaki are also roasted mochi snacks, but are typically larger and made from glutinous rice, while arare mochi are smaller and often made from non-glutinous rice.
Kakimochi is a broader term for dried and roasted mochi pieces; arare mochi is a specific type of small, hail-shaped kakimochi.
From あられ (hail) + 餅 (mochi), referring to the small, hail-like shape of the roasted mochi pieces.