Irresistibly Adorable Dango: Nearly Too Precious to Consume

In the heart of Japan, a beloved snack is enjoyed during the beautiful cherry blossom season – dango. This traditional treat, made with sweet rice flour, is now accessible to make at home with a modern twist.

The Essential Ingredients

To craft your own dango, you'll need three bamboo skewers, a large mixing bowl, rubber spatula, plastic wrap, a medium pot, toothpick or piping bag, 1/2 cup shiratamako, 1/4 cup water, 1 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp. matcha powder, 1 tsp. strawberry powder, food coloring (pink and green), 1 Tbsp. each of melted milk and white chocolate.

Preparation

Begin by splitting each color into four equal-size balls for a total of 12 balls. In a medium pot, bring water to a gentle simmer.

Cooking the Dango

Delicately add mochi balls to the pot of water and cook for about three minutes or until they float. Remove them from the cold water after about one minute to cool.

Decorating Your Dango

Use melted chocolate to decorate faces using a piping bag or toothpick. First, use white chocolate for bears' snouts and ears. Dye the remaining chocolate with pink food coloring and then use this for pigs' snouts and ears.

For each color, three balls will form heads. Split the fourth ball of each color into six equal-size balls. Use melted milk chocolate for eyes of each animal, noses for bears, nostrils for pigs, and smiles for frogs. Last, add blush to all animals.

A Variant: Animal-Shaped Dango

For those seeking a fun twist, try the animal-themed dango recipe. The ingredients are similar, but the dough is coloured with natural food coloring. A green tea anko spread is used as a topping in this variant.

Cooking Time

The dango recipe serves 3 skewers and takes 48 minutes to make, including 30 minutes for prep time, 3 minutes for cook time, and 15 minutes for decorating time.

Where to Find Shiratamako

Shiratamako, the type of glutinous rice flour that yields chewier, stretchier, smoother results, can be found at most Asian supermarkets or on Amazon.

Enhancing Your Dango

Dango can be topped with additional deliciousness such as anko (sweet red bean paste) or mitarashi sauce (sweet soy glaze). If dango is topped with sweet soy sauce, it is referred to as mitarashi dango.

Enjoy this traditional Japanese snack with a modern twist, whether you're celebrating the cherry blossom season or simply seeking a delicious treat.

Irresistibly Adorable Dango: Nearly Too Precious to Consume