Hello, this is Bridge to JAPAN.
This time, I would like to show you how to make one of Japan’s most famous Japanese sweets, “Mitarashi Dango“.
Mitarashi dango is a type of dumpling covered with a sugar-soy sauce.
The sweet and spicy flavor of the sugar and soy sauce matches the texture of the sticky dumplings, making it one of the most popular Japanese sweets loved by many Japanese people.
Mitarashi dango is said to have originated from the Mitarashi Festival held at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, and dates back to the Heian period (800s).
It is said that the taste has been improved over the years to become the “mitarashi dango” of today.
You can easily make them at home, so please give them a try!
BACK GROUND
- It is called Mitarashi dango in Japanese
- Mitarashi dango are rice dumplings coverd with a sweet soy sauce glaze
- Origin is Kyoto Japan
- It is a Japanese Wagashi (dessert)
Episode In JAPAN
I am originally from Kyoto, where my paternal grandfather ran a Japanese sweets shop. Whenever my grandfather came to our house, he would always bring us dumplings that he made at the store, and I remember that the dumplings were mitarashi dango. As a small child, I used to look forward to these dumplings, and the taste of mitarashi dango has stayed with me since then.You can buy them cheaply at supermarkets in Japan, and they are also sold at stalls, especially during festivals.I like mitarashi dango very much because it is a taste of the common people, but there is something special about it.
The Key Item
The key to making Mitarashi Dango is the flour used to make the dough.
In Japan, you can buy Shiratama flour, but it is hard to find in other countries. Glutinous rice flour is a good substitute. The difference between glutinous rice flour and white rice flour is in the manufacturing method. Glutinous rice flour is not as smooth as white egg flour, but it is less expensive than white egg flour. With this, you can easily make Mitarashi Dango even when you’re overseas!
How to make Mitarashi Dango
Mitarashi Dango みたらし団子
Course: Desserts, WagashiCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy2
servings20
minutes20
minutes158
kcal40
minutesTypical soy sauce flavored baked dumplings(Dango)
Ingredients
100g Glutinous rice flour
100g Silken tofu
4 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
2 Tbsp Mirin
1.2 Tbsp Starch
100ml Water
Directions
- Put the Glutinous rice flour in a bowl, add the silken tofu, and knead well with your hands.
- When the dough comes together, cut the dumplings into desired sizes.
Roll out the dough into sticks and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Roll the dumplings in the palm of your hand. - Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, add the dumplings to the pot. Wait 1-2 minutes until the dumplings start to float.
Remove the dumplings and cool them in cold water. - Thread the dumplings onto bamboo skewers and cover the handles with aluminum foil to prevent them from burning.
- Cook the dumplings in a frying pan over high heat, without adding oil, until they start to brown.
Cook evenly, turning both sides, until one side is heavily browned. - ***Making the sauce***
- Put water, sugar, soy sauce, mirin, and potato starch in another pot and mix well over low heat.
- When the mixture thickens, turn off the heat.
- **Serving**
- Place the dumplings on a plate and use a spoon to spread the sauce evenly over the dumplings.
- It’s ready!
