Dango
団子
Chewy rice-flour dumplings commonly served on skewers. Seasonal and regional versions are tied to flower viewing, festivals, and tea.
About this dish
Chewy rice-flour dumplings commonly served on skewers. Seasonal and regional versions are tied to flower viewing, festivals, and tea. The recipe here chooses one named variation from that wider tradition; household fillings, shapes and serving styles may differ.
Recipe
Mitarashi dango
- 100 g joshinko
- 100 g shiratamako
- 160-180 ml hot water
Glaze
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 100 ml water
- 2 tsp potato starch
- 1
Use 100 g joshinko; 100 g shiratamako; 160-180 ml hot water. Combine the two rice flours and add hot water gradually. Knead to a soft, non-sticky dough and divide into 24 balls. Start at the lower water amount and knead until a flattened ball has no crumbly edge.
- 2
Boil in batches until they float, then cook 2 minutes more. Cool briefly in cold water and drain. Cook in batches, stir once and check a uniformly chewy center before briefly cooling in fresh cold water.
- 3
Thread 3 balls onto each food-safe bamboo skewer. Brown lightly in a dry nonstick skillet, turning the skewers. Drain and pat dry before lightly browning several sides; do not dry them into a hard crust.
- 4
Glaze: 2 tbsp soy sauce; 3 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp mirin; plus the remaining ingredients listed for this component. Whisk glaze ingredients in a saucepan while cold. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until glossy and thick. Spoon over warm dango. Disperse starch cold before heating. Stir and scrape over medium-low heat until clear and spoon-coating; use warm before it thickens further.
Note
The blend of ordinary and glutinous Japanese rice flours gives a firmer bite than shiratama. Keep skewers away from young children.