Recipe
Moon-viewing dango (tsukimi dango) with shiratamako
Soft dango made from shiratamako and water. 13 balls arranged 9 + 4 for Jūsan’ya; enjoy with mitarashi sauce or red bean paste.
Edited by EMA
Original JAPANITIES recipe. Results may vary with ingredients and equipment.
Checked on: · Source : JAPANITIES editorial team
Ingredients
- 100 g shiratamako (or glutinous rice flour)
- 90–100 ml water (adjust as needed)
- Mitarashi sauce: 3 tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 100 ml water, 1 tsp starch (dissolved in a little water)
- Optional: red bean paste, kinako
Method
- In a bowl, pour the water gradually onto the flour while kneading by hand, until the texture is soft like an earlobe.
- Divide the dough into 13 portions and roll them into balls.
- Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the balls. When they float up, count another 1–2 minutes.
- Plunge them into cold water, then drain.
- Arrange 9 balls (3×3) at the bottom and 4 (2×2) above.
- For the sauce, mix all the ingredients in a small pan and heat, stirring, until thickened; coat the dango.
Tips
- Dough too firm: add a little water; too soft: a little flour.
- Cover the balls with a damp cloth so they do not dry out.
- Dango harden with time: make them just before eating.
- In France: shiratamako at Japanese grocery stores, or glutinous rice flour at Asian grocery stores.
Offering for Jūsan’ya
For the offering, 13 dango is a common guide, along with susuki grass, chestnuts and beans. After the offering, share them with your family.
A small tip｜Water for dango
Dango can be made with tap water. To get a texture closer to that of dango in Japan, Ryūnosuke recommends a soft water such as Volvic.