Japanese cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Mitarashi Dango

Boiled rice-flour balls on a skewer, briefly grilled and coated in a glossy soy-sugar glaze.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 150 g glutinous rice flour
• 100 g rice flour
• 190 ml warm water
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• 70 g sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 150 ml water for the glaze
• 8 wooden skewers

Instructions

1. Mix the glutinous rice flour and rice flour and work in the warm water gradually until a smooth dough forms that feels like an earlobe — soft but not sticky.
2. Roll the dough into 24 equal balls of about 2.5 cm and press a slight dimple into the center with your thumb.
3. Boil the balls in batches in rolling water for 3–4 minutes until they rise to the surface, then let sit for another minute and plunge into ice water.
4. For the glaze, bring the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and 150 ml water to a boil, stir in the cornstarch mixed with a little cold water, and stir for 1–2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and coats the spoon.
5. Thread three dango onto each wooden skewer and toast in a dry pan or under the grill for 2–3 minutes, until light brown spots appear.
6. Generously coat the skewers with the warm glaze and serve immediately, while the balls are still warm outside and chewy-soft inside.