Description
Sweet Japanese hanami dango brings springtime charm to dessert lovers. Delicate rice flour dumplings dance with pastel colors while celebrating cherry blossom season, offering delightful bites that connect you to traditional Japanese culinary heritage.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) joshinko (Japanese rice flour)
- ¾ cup (180 ml) shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) sugar
- 7 ounces (200 grams) dangoko (Japanese rice dumpling flour) (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon matcha (green tea powder)
Liquid Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup (160 ml) boiling water
Coloring Ingredients:
- Red food coloring
- 1 tablespoon yomogi (mugwort) (optional)
Instructions
- Soak bamboo skewers in cold water to prevent charring during cooking, ensuring they remain intact throughout the preparation process.
- Combine joshinko, shiratamako, and sugar in a spacious mixing vessel, creating a foundational mixture for the traditional Japanese treat.
- Introduce hot water gradually into the dry ingredients, kneading meticulously until the dough achieves a cohesive, pliable consistency that holds shape without crumbling.
- Partition the dough into three uniform segments, dedicating each portion to a distinct color palette: matcha green, soft pink, and pristine white.
- Carefully roll each colored segment into small, uniform spheres, maintaining consistent size and smooth surfaces for aesthetic appeal.
- Gently submerge the delicate dough balls into simmering water, monitoring their transformation as they ascend to the surface, indicating perfect doneness.
- Swiftly transfer the cooked dango into an ice bath, halting the cooking process and preserving their tender, chewy texture.
- Thread the colored spheres onto prepared skewers in a traditional tricolor arrangement: verdant green, immaculate white, and blush pink.
- Present the hanami dango at ambient temperature, offering a complementary side of sweet red bean paste for those desiring an additional layer of flavor complexity.
Notes
- Master the art of timing by preparing ingredients and equipment simultaneously for a seamless cooking experience.
- Color your dango with natural and food-safe ingredients, creating a visually stunning dessert that reflects traditional Japanese aesthetics.
- Avoid overcooking by carefully monitoring dango balls and quickly transferring them to iced water, ensuring perfect texture and optimal taste.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg