Japanese Dango: How To Make Sweet Rice Dumplings

Like mochi, dango are a type of wagashi—or Japanese dessert—made from shiratamako, a glutinous rice flour also known as “sweet rice flour.” Shiratamako is what gives dango its chewy texture, but unlike mochi, dango is not made with 100 percent shiratamako. Dango also includes regular rice flour (joshinko), which results in a lighter stretch.

Plain dango have a lightly sweet rice flavor, which makes them a great blank slate for many different toppings or glazes.

The Kamo Mitarashi—a well-known tea house in Kyoto, Japan—is believed to be the first place where dango was served. The Shimogamo shrine is located nearby, which is where Kyoto hosts its annual Mitarashi festival. In one of the ceremonies, a plate of Mitarashi dango is presented as a good-will offering to the deities.

There are many kinds of dango served throughout Japan, which are often flavored or decorated with food coloring in honor of different holidays or occasions. Here are just a few of the most popular:

1. 1. Anko dango: These plain dango are topped with a thick layer of sweet red bean paste.
2. 2. Cha dango: These dango are flavored with an herby matcha powder.
3. 3. Goma dango: These dango are covered in a thick, salty-sweet black sesame glaze.
4. 4. Hanami dango: These colorful dango—dyed sakura pink, white, and pale green—are traditionally enjoyed during hanami, or cherry blossom viewing season.
5. 5. Mitarashi dango. These dango are brushed with mitarashi sauce, a sweet glaze made of mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and a bit of potato starch.

When making dango, you use equal parts non-glutinous rice flour to glutinous rice flour. A cup of each makes about 25–30 dango. Flavorings can be a number of things, including a sugar glaze, red bean paste, or matcha. You will also need bamboo skewers and water.

1. 1. Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium-high heat.
2. 2. Soak the bamboo sticks in a room temperature bowl of water.
3. 3. In a large bowl, combine equal parts non-glutinous rice flour (joshinko) with shiratamako (glutinous) sweet rice flour, as well as any flavorings you’ll be using (like matcha, black sesame powder, or a small amount of sugar).
4. 4. Add 1 tablespoon of warm water at a time to the rice flour mixture, using chopsticks to whisk as you pour, until clumps form. Knead the mixture by hand until you have a smooth dough. Portion out the dough into bite-sized pieces and roll into small balls—these are your dango.
5. 5. Transfer the dango to the boiling water, and cook, stirring the water occasionally, until they float to the surface.
6. 6. Once the dango float to the surface, remove them from boiling water using a slotted spoon and place them in an ice bath. Once cooled, drain the dango and set aside for assembly.
7. 7. Thread three to five dango on each skewer, and finish with the topping of your choice.

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