{"id":35332,"title":"Authentic Japanese Mitarashi Dango","modified":"2025-06-18T09:15:08+02:00","plain":"Mitarashi dango: an irresistibly addictive Japanese sweet\n\n\n\nWhen the first rays of spring sunshine appear, this is Japan's go-to snack, and with good reason. These rice balls, glazed with sweet soy sauce, deliver a delightfully soft texture and subtle flavor. They are a perfect way to welcome spring, right on the plate! \n\n\n\nWhat exactly are mitarashi dango? \n\n\n\nAnyone who has seen them or, better yet, tasted them knows: when made right, mitarashi dango (\u307f\u305f\u3089\u3057\u56e3\u5b50) are worth seeking out, especially now that the first warmth of the season is emerging. They easily stand beside dorayaki, mango sticky rice and hotteoks among the world's most beloved Asian desserts\n\n\n\nAmong dumplings, mitarashi dango are the kind you can pop endlessly without thinking. In traditional Japanese cuisine, they are small sweet rice balls threaded onto a bamboo skewer and coated with a sweet soy sauce glaze. Each skewer usually holds three to five balls, with five being the most common. \n\n\n\nThe dough uses the same ingredients as mochi\n\n\n\nSoy sauce might sound odd at first, but it blends in beautifully. Each bite is tender, melt in the mouth, and not overly sweet. Better yet, dango are quite easy to make at home.\n\n\n\nWhere do mitarashi dango come from? \n\n\n\nDango have been cherished in Japan for centuries. They are first mentioned in a poem from the Heian period (794-1185). In the Jomon period, they were made from ground nuts mixed with hot rice; a few centuries later, someone thought to skewer them. They were often served during specific celebrations. \n\n\n\nThe name \"mitarashi dango\" is said to be linked to the Mitarashi Matsuri, a festival at Kyoto's Shimogamo Shrine. \n\n\n\nSide note: The word \"mitarashi\" originally referred to the small pool or fountain used for ritual purification at the entrance of some temples. Worshippers would prepare \"dango\" as offerings to the temple's deities. \n\n\n\nIf it's REALLY hot, reach for ice cream mochi instead\n\n\n\nOriginally, dango were made from nothing more than rice flour and water. About ten bamboo skewers were prepared, each holding five dango arranged in a fan shape. \n\n\n\nWhy five dango, you ask? No one is completely sure. One story links the number to Emperor Go-Daigo's visit to the shrine during the Kamakura period, after which he saw four bubbles rise on the surface of the Mitarashi pond. Another theory holds that the five dango, sold as a local specialty, were meant to represent the human body. \n\n\n\nIn that interpretation, the first, larger ball represents the head, while the remaining four stand for the arms and legs. What is certain is that Kyoto street vendors eventually began selling this treat as a snack, fueling its popularity. \n\n\n\nDango are also a common feature at Japanese cultural events. Today, mitarashi dango have evolved: some are coated with sugar or soy sauce and infused with flavors such as green tea or sakura. \n\n\n\nMain ingredients of mitarashi dango\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nJoshinko: a plain flour made from Japanese short grain rice, commonly used in pastry. \n\n\n\nShiratamako: This, too, is a flour made from glutinous rice, and is used to make mochi. Note that these two flours behave differently and will not produce the same texture. \n\n\n\nLight soy sauce: Lighter than the dark variety and lower in salt, it is ideal for coating mitarashi dango. Its flavor is milder and slightly sweet. \n\n\n\nMirin: Like light soy sauce, mirin is sweet and packed with umami. \n\n\n\nTips for successful mitarashi dango\n\n\n\nDorayaki are another hugely popular Japanese dessert\n\n\n\nAs you have seen, the flours in this recipe are quite specific. Because every flour absorbs water differently, add the water gradually until the dough is firm but not crumbly while you knead. \n\n\n\nYou may not need the full amount of water. If the dough is too soft, the balls will fall apart during cooking. \n\n\n\nServe the dango as soon as they are ready, while the balls are still tender and the soy glaze is hot. \n\n\n\nIf you wait, the dango will firm up and become less enjoyable. \n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic Japanese Mitarashi Dango\n\t\t\n\t\tMitarashi dango: chewy rice dumplings coated in a sweet-savory soy caramel\u2014irresistibly addictive.\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tDumplings100 g Joshinko (rice flour) (farine de riz japonaise)100 g Shiratamako (glutinous rice flour) (farine de riz gluant)150 ml boiling waterSweet soy glaze4 tablespoons sugar2 tablespoons mirin2 tablespoons light soy sauce150 ml water2 tablespoons potato starch\t\n\t\n\t\tSoak the bamboo skewers in water.In a mixing bowl, whisk together the joshinko and shiratamako.Slowly pour in the boiling water, stirring as you go.When the mixture begins to clump, stop adding water and knead until the dough is completely smooth.Shape the dough into a ball, then divide it into as many equal pieces as you\u2019d like dumplings.Roll each portion into a smooth, even ball.Set a bowl of ice water nearby.Gently drop the dumplings into a large pot of boiling water. Stir occasionally with chopsticks to help them keep their shape.When the dumplings float to the surface, let them cook for 2 more minutes, then transfer them to the ice bath.Once chilled, drain well and place the dumplings on a damp tray to prevent sticking.Thread three dumplings onto each soaked skewer.Make the glazeOff the heat, combine the sugar, mirin, soy sauce, water, and potato starch in a saucepan.Stir until the starch dissolves and the mixture is smooth.Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens to a glossy glaze. Remove from the heat.ServeGenerously spoon the hot glaze over the skewered dumplings and enjoy right away.\t\n\t\n\t\tFor the best texture, serve the dango as soon as they\u2019re glazed. They\u2019re at their most tender when warm and the sauce is still glossy.\nIf they sit too long, the dumplings firm up and lose some of their charm, so enjoy them right away.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tDessertJapanese\t\n\n\n\n\n\nCulinary sources\n\n\n\nRecipe adapted entirely from the English language blog \"Just One Cookbook\". For once, hardly any tweaks were needed - delicious on the first try. I tried thickening the glaze with kuzu (going ultra traditional, since potatoes are not native to Japan), but the difference was minor compared with potato starch. If you have kuzu, use it, but do not buy it just for this.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35332","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35332"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35332\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15766"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35332"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35332"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35332"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}