Japanese Wagashi - Kushi Dango

I made Kushi Dango (skewered rice dumpling) for the kid's afternoon snack today. Dango is one of the many types of Japanese sweets, similar to Singapore's version of "muah chee". This is usually served with green tea.

There are many varieties of dango besides the 3 types that I made. Others are served with Anko (sweetened red bean paste), Bocchan Dango (tri-coloured), Chadango (green tea flavoured), etc. Stalls at tourist spots sell toasted dango with sweet sauce.

Justin loves it. A very easy recipe with nutritional tofu in it. (Note: Potential choking hazard for younger children as this is made from glutinous rice flour. )


Ingredients

100g of glutinous rice flour (shiratamako or mochiko)
100g of silken tofu

Kinako (toasted soy flour)
Black Sesame seed
Sugar
Soya Sauce
Mirin


Step 1
Mix the glutinous rice flour and tofu in a bowl. Add a little water and knead the dough till it is soft but firm. (If dough is too soft, add flour. If dough is too crumbly, add more water)

Step 2
Divide the dough into 3 big pieces, then each piece into 3 medium pieces, and further divide each medium pieces into 3 smaller pieces. (Confusing?). You will get a total of 27 pieces from the whole process. Shape the pieces into a ball.

Step 3
Put the dumplings into boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove dumplings when they float on the water and put them in a bowl of ice water to cool. Drain well.

Step 4
Skewer 3 dumplings into a bamboo stick. Coat with the flavour of your choice.

Kinako Dango

(a) Mix 2 tbsp of Kinako to 1 tbspn of sugar. Coat the tofu dango.

Goma Dango

(b) Add 2 tbsp of freshly ground sesame seed to 1 tbsp of sugar. Coat the tofu dango.

Mitarashi Dango

(c) Put 1 tbsp of soya sauce, 1 tbsp of mirin and 1 tbsp of sugar into a pot and bring to boil. Adjust the heat to prevent the syrup from burning. Coat the tofu dango with the sweet soya sauce.

Verdict: Justin loved the dango with sweet sauce, Jonathan liked the one with Kinako while Papa like the sesame flavoured dango. I liked the sesame flavoured one because it was very fragrant. (Sesame seeds are an excellent dietary source of calcium, manganese, copper, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, vitamin E, protein and fibre)