Mitarashi Dango (みたらし団子) is a kind of dango, candy rice dumplings, skewered onto a bamboo stick. Usually, three to 5 dumplings (historically 5) are on a skewer and lined with a candy soy sauce glaze.
It’s pretty simple to make these dango at residence. These chewy dumplings are mildly candy and get a touch of char from grilling. Once we brush the glaze over the dumplings, every chew is gooey, savory, and satisfying with out being overly candy. You’ll love the contrasting textures and flavors. They make a enjoyable, scrumptious snack with a sizzling cup of inexperienced tea.
Additionally, try my Hanami Dango and Shiratama Dango recipes!
Origin of Mitarashi Dango
Mitarashi dango originated from the Kamo Mitarashi Tea Home in Kyoto. The dango was considered made as an providing for the gods, and the title was given after the bubbles of the mitarashi (御手洗), a font of purifying water positioned on the entrance of a well-known shrine within the metropolis. Avenue distributors in Kyoto began promoting dango as a snack, which rapidly gained reputation amongst many guests.
Right now you will discover mitarashi dango being offered at supermarkets, comfort shops, and specialty candy outlets throughout Japan.
Elements for Mitarashi Dango
To make an genuine dango, you will want the next components.
- A mix of joshinko and shiratamako (or dangoko as an alternative) – I’ll talk about additional on this matter under.
- Boiling water
- The scrumptious candy and savory glaze – soy sauce, sugar, mirin, potato starch (cornstarch)
How one can Make Mitarashi Dango
The recipe card under guides you thru with detailed directions and step-by-step footage, however right here’s a fast abstract.
- To make the dough: Mix the joshinko and shiratamako (or dangoko) with (sizzling) water. Knead the dough till mixed. The dough ought to have a texture of our “earlobe” (sure, it’s an odd expression, nevertheless it’s generally used when making wagashi, Japanese sweets). Divide the dough and kind into spherical dango balls.
- To cook dinner the dango: Prepare dinner the dango balls in boiling water. Switch to iced water and skewer 3 balls into every bamboo stick.
- Give a pleasant char: Use a kitchen torch or a frying pan to provide dango a pleasant char. You possibly can skip this course of, however I feel dumplings with a grilled mark look extra scrumptious.
- To make the glaze: Mix the components in a saucepan and cook dinner the sauce till thickened.
- To serve: Drizzle the glaze on high of the dango. Serve instantly.
Study Japanese Glutinous Rice Flour and Rice Flour
To attain the proper texture for the dumplings, you want to use the next forms of rice flour:
- Johshinko (上新粉) – a flour comprised of Japanese short-grain rice (uruchimai うるち米).
- Shiratamako (白玉粉) – a flour comprised of Japanese short-grain glutinous rice (mochigome もち米).
I like to recommend an equal proportion: 50–50 ratio for each flours. The mix will provide you with the bouncy, chewy however not too sticky texture. Should you just like the chewy mochi-like texture, you’ll be able to lower joshinko to 40% and enhance shiratamako to 60%.
However be cautious to not enhance the quantity of shiratamako an excessive amount of, because the dango will get too smooth and the feel turns into extra like shiratama dango. The mitarashi dango must be firmer than the shiratama dango.
Once you go to a Japanese grocery retailer, you might discover the third sort of flour referred to as dangoko (団子粉), a mixture of rice flour and glutinous rice flour (the ratio is as much as the producer).
In case you have hassle discovering joshinko and shiratamako, dangoko could be your best choice. The feel of dumplings made with dangoko is firmer and chewier.
The place to purchase johshinko and shiratamako?
You’ll find shiratamako, joshinko, and dangoko on Amazon or at your native Japanese grocery shops. Some on-line Asian grocers might carry them.
Can I exploit mochiko rather than shiratamako and joshinko?
Though mochiko is just like shiratamako, it’s produced in a different way. Mochiko yields a really smooth and tender texture, which is unsuitable for dango. Nevertheless, a reader has shared her expertise of reaching good outcomes by including a spoonful of cornstarch to mochiko.
How about Thai glutinous rice flour?
Thai glutinous rice flour just isn’t the identical as Japanese glutinous rice flour, and it’ll not prove proper. To make the dango, you’ll want the flours I listed above.
FAQs
Q: Is it doable to make the dango a couple of hours forward?
Positive, you’ll be able to. Nevertheless, should you wish to maintain the feel softer and tender for an extended time, you’ll be able to add sugar to the flour at first. The advisable quantity of sugar is 20% of the flour’s weight, which is 40 grams.
Should you plan on making the sauce forward of time, take away it from the warmth earlier than the consistency will get too thick. The moisture will evaporate and thicken the sauce because it cools.
Q: If I make an excessive amount of, can I retailer the leftover candy soy sauce?
Sure. You might retailer it within the fridge for two~3 days or freeze it. Reheat it within the microwave or warmth it up in a pot to get pleasure from it once more.
Extra Conventional Japanese Desserts & Sweets To Get pleasure from
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Mitarashi Dango
Servings: 5 skewers (16–17 balls per batch)
Elements
For the Dumplings Utilizing Joshinko and Shiratamako
For the Dumplings Utilizing Dangoko
Stop your display from going darkish
Directions
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Collect the components for the dumplings. Joshinko (上新粉) is flour made with Japanese short-grain rice and shiratamako (白玉粉) is flour made with short-grain glutinous rice; they’re totally different from different Asian varieties. For extra particulars, see Notes on the finish of the recipe card. Joshinko and shiratamako are pictured on the left and dangoko (団子粉) is pictured on the fitting. Whichever you resolve to make use of, the directions under are the identical.
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Collect the components for the candy soy glaze. Soak the bamboo skewers in water. You can begin boiling a big pot of water on low warmth (see Step 8).
To Make the Rice Dumplings
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Mix ⅔ cup joshinko (Japanese rice flour) and ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/candy rice flour) in a bowl. Utilizing chopsticks, combine all of it collectively till nicely blended. (Should you‘re making the dumplings utilizing dangoko, add 1⅓ cup dangoko (Japanese rice dumpling flour) as an alternative to a bowl.)
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Stir in a few of the ⅔ cup boiling water, slightly bit at a time, whereas mixing with chopsticks. Please word: You possibly can all the time add extra water so go together with a small addition. The dough must be on the dry aspect.(Or, stir in a few of the ⅔ cup water (chilly) for the dangoko, slightly bit at a time.)
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When the flours begin to stick collectively and ultimately kind clumps, cease including water. Utilizing your arms, mix the dough into one ball.
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Knead till the dough turns into easy. The feel is like squeezing an “earlobe“ (that’s how we describe the tenderness of any such mochi in Japanese).
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Type the dough right into a ball. Divide the dough into 8 equal items.
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Then divide each bit into 2 smaller items. You should have 16 equal-sized items of dough. I all the time wish to weigh mine. Every ball must be 20 grams. You could have some additional dough, however that’s okay.
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Form every of the dough items right into a easy, spherical ball. If the dough is cracking or has some wrinkles, dip the tip of your finger in water and apply a small quantity of water to the cracked space to easy it out. You now have 16 equal-sized dumplings.
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Simply earlier than cooking the dumplings, put together a bowl of iced water. As soon as the water within the pot is boiling, gently drop every dumpling into the pot with a easy, steady arm movement to keep away from splashing. Prepare dinner them unexpectedly. Stir the balls often so that they maintain their spherical form and don‘t follow the underside of the pot.
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The dumplings will keep close to the underside of the pot at first, however they’ll float as soon as cooked. After they rise to the highest, boil them for a further 1–2 minutes.
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Switch the dumplings to the bowl of iced water.
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As soon as the dumplings have cooled, drain them nicely and switch them to a tray. Tip: Moist the tray so the dumplings don‘t stick.
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Skewer three items onto a bamboo skewer. Proceed with the remainder of the dumplings and put aside.
To Make the Candy Soy Glaze
To Retailer
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Choice 1: After you kind the dough into spherical dumplings, you’ll be able to retailer the raw dumplings in a single layer in an hermetic container and freeze as much as a month. When prepared to make use of, boil the frozen dango with out defrosting first.
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Choice 2: After boiling and cooling the dumplings, pat them dry and pack them so that they don‘t contact one another into an hermetic container. Freeze as much as a month. When prepared to make use of, microwave or boil them till heat.
Notes
To maintain the Mitarashi Dango tender for an extended time: Including sugar to the dango dough will assist them keep softer. The advisable quantity of sugar is 20% of flour’s weight (which is 40 grams). Should you cut back the quantity, it may not be as efficient.
Vitamin
Vitamin Information
Mitarashi Dango
Quantity per Serving
% Every day Worth*
* % Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
Editor’s Be aware: This put up was initially revealed on Could 14, 2012. It was republished with extra useful content material, new photographs, and a brand new video on Could 17, 2024.
