How to Make Dango (Sweet Japanese Dessert) - A Step-by-Step Guide

Dango is a popular Japanese dessert made from glutinous rice flour and is enjoyed throughout the year, but especially during the springtime when people celebrate hanami, or the viewing of cherry blossoms. These soft and chewy dumplings are often skewered onto sticks and served with a sweet soy-based sauce. Dango comes in a variety of flavors and colors, making them a versatile and delightful treat for all occasions.

One of the most traditional varieties of dango is the mitarashi dango...

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Ingredients

  • 1 (12 ounce) package silken tofu
  • 1 cup rice flour, or as needed
  • 2 drops red food coloring
  • ½ teaspoon matcha green tea powder, or as needed
  • 3 bamboo skewers

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Additional Time: 1 mins
  • Total Time: 41 mins
  • Servings: 3
  • Yield: 3 bamboo skewers (9 dango)

  • Combine tofu and rice flour in a bowl; mix together by hand until smooth and slightly elastic. Pull dough thinly to test consistency; if it feels like your earlobe, it's ready. Add water or more rice flour as needed.
  • Separate dough into 3 equal parts. Add red food coloring to 1 portion; mix by hand to evenly distribute the color. Note that color will intensify once dango are boiled. Mix another portion of dough with green tea powder; leave the last portion white.
  • Separate each portion of the dough into 3 equal parts; roll into balls to make the dango.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop dango into the pot and boil until they float to the top, 3 to 5 minutes. Continue boiling for 2 minutes more.
  • Remove dango with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of cold or room-temperature water for 1 minute until just warm to the touch. Thread them through skewers in order of your liking. The traditional order is green, white, and pink.
  • Nutrition

    263 cal.

    • Total Fat: 4g
    • Saturated Fat: 1g
    • Sodium: 40mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 45g
    • Dietary Fiber: 1g
    • Total Sugars: 2g
    • Protein: 11g
    • Vitamin C: 0mg
    • Calcium: 42mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 257mg

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