Description
Mitarashi Dango is a traditional Japanese dessert featuring chewy glutinous rice flour dumplings served on skewers, glazed with a sweet and savory soy-based sauce. This recipe combines simple ingredients to create a delightful treat with a perfect balance of textures and flavors, ideal for an authentic Japanese sweet experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Dango
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour (mochiko)
- ¾ cup warm water
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Other
- Bamboo skewers (optional, about 6 skewers)
Instructions
- Make the dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the glutinous rice flour with warm water and knead until a smooth, pliable dough forms. This ensures your dango will have the perfect chewy texture.
- Form the dango balls: Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each into small balls about 1 inch in diameter, providing uniform cooking.
- Boil the dango: Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add the rice balls. Cook until they float to the surface, about 3–4 minutes. Once they rise, let them cook for an additional minute to ensure thorough cooking, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and pat dry gently to remove excess moisture.
- Skewer the dango: Optionally, thread 3 to 4 dango balls onto each bamboo skewer for easy handling and serving.
- Grill the skewers: Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and lightly grill or toast the dango skewers for a few minutes on each side until they develop a slight golden color. This step adds a subtle smoky flavor and appealing texture.
- Make the sweet soy glaze: In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. Mix the cornstarch with water to make a slurry and stir it into the simmering sauce. Cook for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze.
- Serve: Brush or drizzle the warm glaze over the dango skewers and serve immediately to enjoy the fresh contrast of chewy dumplings with sweet and savory sauce.
Notes
- For a traditional touch, lightly charring the dango while grilling adds a subtle smoky flavor.
- You can double the sauce ingredients for extra dipping or drizzling if desired.
- If you prefer, use gluten-free soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Handle the dango gently after boiling to maintain their shape and texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Boiling, Stovetop (Pan Grilling)
- Cuisine: Japanese
