Also, make sure to check out my Hanami Dango and Shiratama Dango recipes! Mitarashi Dango (みたらし団子) is a type of dango, sweet rice dumplings, skewered onto a bamboo stick. Typically, there are three to five dumplings (traditionally five) on a skewer and covered with a sweet soy sauce glaze. It is fairly easy to make these dango at home. These chewy dumplings are mildly sweet and they get a hint of char from grilling. When we brush the glaze over the dumplings, each bite is gooey, savory, and satisfying without being overly sweet. You’ll love the contrasting textures and flavors. They make a fun, delicious snack to go with a hot cup of green tea.
Origin of Mitarashi Dango
Mitarashi dango originated from the Kamo Mitarashi Tea House in Kyoto. The dango was thought to be made as an offering for gods and the name was given after the bubbles of the mitarashi (御手洗) (font of purifying water placed at the entrance of a shrine) of a famous shrine in the city. The street vendors in Kyoto started selling dango as a snack and became popular amongst many visitors. Today you can find mitarashi dango being sold at supermarkets, convenience stores and specialty sweet shops everywhere in Japan.
Types of Rice Flour to use for Mitarashi Dango
To achieve the perfect texture for the dumplings, you need to use the following types of rice flours:
Johshinko (上新粉) – a flour made from Japanese short-grain rice (uruchimai うるち米).Shiratamako (白玉粉) – a flour made from Japanese short-grain glutinous rice (mochigome もち米).
My recommendation is equal proportion: 50-50 ratio for both flours. The combination will give you the bouncy, chewy but not too sticky texture. If you like the chewy mochi-like texture, you can decrease joshinko to 40% and increase shiratamako to 60%. But careful not to increase the amount for shiratamako too much, as the dango will get too soft and the texture becomes more like Shiratama Dango. Mitarashi dango needs to be on a firmer side than shiratama dango. At the Japanese grocery store, you may find the third type of flour called dangoko (団子粉). This is a combination of rice flour and glutinous rice flour and the ratio is unknown; up to the manufacturer. If you have trouble finding the first two types of rice flour, this is another option. However, in my opinion, the texture is firmer, which I assume it’s the result of mixing more rice flour than glutinous rice flour.
Where to buy johshinko and skiratamko?
Can I use mochiko in place of shiratamako and joshinko?
Although mochiko is similar to shiratamako, it’s produced differently. It yields a very soft and tender texture, which is not suitable for dango. However, we’ve had readers who achieved good results with the recipe by adding a spoonful of cornstarch to mochiko.
How about Thai glutinous rice flour?
Thai glutinous rice flour is not at all the same as Japanese glutinous rice flours. It will not turn out right at all. To make the dango, you’ll need the flours I listed above.
Two Ways to Enjoy Mitarashi Dango
Here are the two delicious ways to enjoy the chewy dumplings:
Sweet soy glaze – So easy and requires only 5 ingredients: sugar, mirin, soy sauce, water, and potato starch/cornstarch. The sauce should be warm or at room temperature, but not too hot.Sweet red bean paste (anko) – You can’t beat homemade anko, which can be made ahead of time for all your Japanese desserts.
Q: Is it possible to make the dango a few hours ahead of time? Sure you can. However, If you like to keep the texture softer and tender for a longer time, you can add sugar to the flours at the start. The recommended amount of sugar is 20% of the flour’s weight which is 40 grams. If you plan on making the sauce ahead of time, remove it from the heat before the consistency gets too thick because the moisture will evaporate and thicken the sauce as it cools. Q: Can I store the leftover sweet soy sauce if I make too much? Yes. You may store it in the refrigerator for 2~3 days or freeze it. Reheat it in the microwave or heat up in a pot to enjoy it again.
More Traditional Japanese Sweets To Enjoy
Tsukimi DangoHanami Dango Green Tea MochiHow to Make Mochi with a Stand MixerStrawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku)
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