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Skewered dumplings made with rice flour and glutinous rice flour, Hanami Dango are fashionable snacks loved throughout cherry blossom viewing in Japan. These chewy dumplings in three colours (sanshoku dango) are available pink, white, and inexperienced springtime hues. With only a contact of sweetness, this conventional Japanese confectionery proclaims the arrival of spring. {vegan pleasant}
As spring approaches, Japan turns right into a shade of pink. It’s a time of renewal of life and wonder, and we have a good time this flip of the season with cherry blossom viewing (or Hanami in Japanese). A convention that dates again as early because the eighth century.
Through the cherry blossom viewing, the Japanese additionally take pleasure in various kinds of wagashi (conventional confectionery) together with Hanami Dango (花見団子).
What’s Hanami Dango?
Dango (団子) is a Japanese skewered candy dumpling made with rice flour and glutinous rice flour.
Hanami (花見) means flower viewing (of cherry blossom), and through this season, many individuals exit for strolls by means of the magnificent columns of the flowering bushes.
The Japanese have lengthy celebrated and admired the great thing about cherry blossoms by having picnics beneath the blooms. On the picnics, we take pleasure in spring-themed meals in bento and wagashi which regularly incorporate seasonal flavors.
One of many fashionable sweets you will discover at pop-up meals stalls through the cherry blossom season is hanami dango (花見団子). The dumplings are available pink, white, and inexperienced springtime hues, so they’re additionally referred to as sanshoku dango (三色団子).
Why Pink, White, and Inexperienced Colours?
There are a couple of theories on why the hanami dango is skewered in a selected order of pink, white, and inexperienced from the highest. Listed below are two fashionable theories:
- The life cycle of cherry blossoms: Pink buds, white flowers, after which inexperienced leaves.
- The surroundings of the spring arrival: Crimson solar or pink cherry blossoms, leftover snow, and yomogi (mugwort) or inexperienced sprouts beneath the snow.
Which idea do you assume is right? They each sound good to me because the hanami dango brings happiness within the spring season.
Historical past of Hanami Dango
The historical past of hanami dango overlaps with the historical past of cherry blossom viewing.
The ritual began to emerge when Toyotomi Hideyoshi served his visitors hanami dango as a tea confectionery on the cherry blossom viewing occasion referred to as Daigo no Hanami, which was held at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto on March 15, 1833.
Till then, cherry blossom viewing was not a celebration the place folks loved foods and drinks, however extra like an aristocratic pastime composing songs and having fun with dances and music. From this level on, the customized of consuming and consuming whereas admiring the blossoms grew to become widespread among the many frequent folks, and hanami dango got here to be an indispensable Japanese confectionery for cherry blossom viewing.
Components for Hanami Dango
I’ll speak in regards to the kinds of rice flour within the part beneath, however listed below are the elements you’ll have to make the genuine hanami dango.
- Joshinko (上新粉) – Japanese short-grain rice flour
- Shiratamako (白玉粉) – Japanese short-grain glutinous rice flour, also called candy rice flour
- Sugar – I take advantage of granulated sugar
- Crimson meals coloring – I take advantage of powder type, however you should use gel
- Matcha (inexperienced tea powder) or yomogi (mugwort)
Learn how to Make Hamami Dango
Discover the recipe card beneath for detailed directions.
- Combine the joshinko, shiratamako, and sugar in a bowl.
- Steadily add the measured boiling water and blend till properly mixed.
- Divide the dough into thirds. Then, coloration one dango ball with a bit of little bit of crimson meals coloring and the subsequent one with matcha (or yomogi). Hold the final one plain.
- Divide every dough into 6 equal items and form them into a pleasant, spherical ball.
- Cook dinner the dumplings (dango) in boiling water. Then, skewer the dumplings onto a bamboo skewer. Serve instantly.
Be taught Completely different Kinds of Rice Flour
Should you by no means made dango or mochi desserts, you won’t be conversant in the various kinds of rice flour utilized in Japanese desserts. On this part, let’s discuss 4 differing types of Japanese short-grain rice flour and glutinous rice flour.
- Joshinko (上新粉)
- Shiratamako (白玉粉)
- Mochiko (餅粉)
- Dangoko (団子粉)
Joshinko and Shiratamako
Dango (だんご, 団子) is historically made with joshinko (上新粉) or short-grain rice flour, which is made from uruchimai (うるち米). Because of this dango and mochi are completely different as mochi is made with glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour, which is made from mochigome (もち米).
I discover dango made solely with joshinko a bit too chewy and hard. So once I make dango at house, I at all times combine each rice flour and glutinous rice flour to attain the proper texture for the dango.
- Johshinko (上新粉) – The rice flour constituted of short-grain rice (uruchimai うるち米). Purchase from Amazon.
- Shiratamako (白玉粉) – The gluteinous rice flour constituted of short-grain glutinous rice (mochigome もち米). Although it’s referred to as “flour,” it’s extra like coarse granules. Purchase from Amazon.
My advice is an equal proportion: 50% rice flour and 50% glutinous rice flour. The mixture will provide you with a bouncy, chewy texture, nevertheless it gained’t be too sticky like mochi. Should you choose a softer, mochi-like texture, you are able to do 40% rice flour and 60% glutinous rice flour.
🚨 Please keep in mind that all these flours are constituted of Japanese short-grain rice. The glutinous rice flour present in Asian grocery shops is often constituted of long-grain rice. Our readers have instructed us that they don’t yield the identical consequence as a result of the feel and taste are fairly completely different. The place do we discover Japanese short-grain ones? You should purchase them on Amazon (hyperlink above) or from well-stocked Japanese grocery shops.
Mochiko
The very best substitute for shiratamako could be mochiko as this product is broadly accessible right here within the U.S. You should purchase it on Amazon and even in American grocery shops.
Though shiratamako and mochiko are each “glutinous rice flour” (additionally referred to as “candy rice flour”), the outcomes are barely completely different, particularly in texture and taste. Shiratamako yields a easy, extra refined, and chewy/bouncy texture whereas mochiko yields a comfortable, elastic texture and a bit bland style.
Most Japanese recipes use shiratamako over mochiko for a superior texture and taste.
Dangoko (Dango Flour)
On the Japanese grocery retailer, you could discover one other kind of flour referred to as dangoko (団子粉). This can be a mixture of rice flour and glutinous rice flour, however the ratio is unknown (as much as the producer).
You probably have hassle discovering each joshinko and shiratamako to make your personal 50/50 mix (like I confirmed in my recipe), shopping for a package deal of dangoko is a good various. Nonetheless, for my part, the feel of the dango is firmer. That is most likely as a result of the mix makes use of extra rice flour than glutinous rice flour as an alternative of fifty/50.
Use These Bamboo Skewers for Dumplings
You will have 6-inch (15 cm) bamboo skewers. If you have already got longer skewers at house, you possibly can trim them all the way down to 6-inch items. There are two sorts: spherical skewers and sq. skewers with a paddle. I take advantage of spherical skewers for this recipe.
Learn how to Colour the Dumplings in Pink and Inexperienced
The Pink Dumplings
Historically the pink dumplings have been coloured utilizing purple shiso (赤紫蘇), salt-pickled cherry blossoms, or fruit of cape jasmine (kuchinashi クチナシ). These pure meals coloring choices might be tougher to entry exterior of Japan.
So for this recipe, I like utilizing powdered meals coloring as I can have higher management once I add it to the meals. I used this powdered meals coloring I purchased from Amazon.
Should you choose pure meals coloring, I like to recommend utilizing beet juice or floor freeze-dried strawberry/raspberry to dye the dumplings pink.
The Inexperienced Dumplings
The inexperienced dumplings are flavored and coloured historically with yomogi or mugwort in Japan. It’s most likely onerous to seek out yomogi exterior of Japan however you should buy this yomogiko (mugwort powder) on Amazon.
For this recipe, I used matcha powder (inexperienced tea powder) so it’s a lot simpler to make. My favourite tea store, Ippodo Tea from Kyoto, sells matcha you may get on Amazon.
Learn how to Take pleasure in Hanami Dango
Hanami dango is loved by itself with none toppings or sauce. You probably have by no means tried this Japanese conventional candy, you could discover it a bit bland.
Should you like, take pleasure in these dumplings with anko (candy crimson bean paste).
Have you ever heard of a Japanese expression or proverb “Hana yori dango” (花より団子)? It means “dumplings over flowers” and it’s used for somebody who values practicality and substance over refinement and look.
Are you the one who involves see cherry blossoms and is extra all in favour of consuming hanami dango than in admiring flowers? I’m!
Different Scrumptious Japanese Sweets
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Hanami Dango
Skewered dumplings made with rice flour and glutinous rice flour, Hanami Dango are fashionable snacks loved throughout cherry blossom viewing in Japan. These chewy dumplings in three colours (sanshoku dango) are available pink, white, and inexperienced springtime hues. With only a contact of sweetness, this conventional Japanese confectionery proclaims the arrival of spring.
Components
For the Dumplings Utilizing Joshinko and Shiratamako
For Coloring the Dumplings
For the Dumplings Utilizing Dangoko (Optionally available)
For the Yomogi Dango Model (Optionally available)
Forestall your display from going darkish
Directions
To Make the Dough
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Mix ⅔ cup joshinko (Japanese rice flour), ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/candy rice flour), and ⅓ cup sugar (or 7 oz dangoko (Japanese rice dumpling flour) and ⅓ cup sugar) in a big bowl.
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Utilizing chopsticks, combine all of it collectively till properly blended. Subsequent, add in ⅔ cup boiling water (or ⅔ cup water (chilly) for the dangoko) a bit of bit at a time whereas mixing with chopsticks. Please observe: You might not want to make use of your entire measured quantity of sizzling water. Should you add an excessive amount of water, your dough will likely be too comfortable.
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The flours will begin to stick collectively and ultimately kind clumps. When your dough reaches this stage, cease including the water.
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Utilizing your palms, mix the dough into one ball.
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Knead by hand till the dough turns into easy. If wanted, add a tiny little bit of sizzling water to select up any residue within the bowl (I didn’t use all of the measured sizzling water).
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The feel of the completed dough ought to really feel much like an earlobe. The “texture of an earlobe” is such a humorous description, however that’s how we examine the consistency in Japan. The dough shouldn‘t be too comfortable. It‘s barely on the dry facet. Tip: Should you add an excessive amount of water, your dough will likely be too comfortable. If that occurs, add extra joshinko.
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Utilizing a kitchen scale, weigh the dough. Utilizing a bench scraper or knife, divide it into thirds. Put two of the items in separate bowls.
To Cook dinner the Dumplings
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Put together a bowl of iced water simply earlier than cooking the dumplings. First, we’ll cook dinner the light-colored white and pink dumplings. As soon as the water within the pot is boiling, rapidly re-roll every white or pink dumpling into a pleasant, spherical ball earlier than you gently drop them into the pot. Stir the balls often so that they don’t follow the underside of the pot.
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Cook dinner the dumplings till they begin floating, about 7–8 minutes. The dumplings will keep close to the underside of the pot at first, however they are going to float as soon as they’re cooked. Once they rise to the highest, boil them for a further 1 minute.
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Take away the white and pink dumplings from the pot and instantly place them in iced water for 15–30 seconds so that they cease cooking and are cool sufficient to deal with. Then, drain them properly and switch to a plate or tray moistened with water. Tip: Don‘t preserve the dumplings too lengthy within the iced water or they are going to get onerous. Additionally, moist the plate or tray so the dumplings don‘t stick.
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Subsequent, work on the inexperienced dumplings and repeat the identical course of. As you see, the boiling water modifications coloration, so I like to recommend beginning with the light-colored white and pink dumplings; don‘t cook dinner all three colours on the similar time.
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Take away the cooked inexperienced dumplings from the pot and instantly place them in iced water for 15–30 seconds to cease the cooking and funky barely. Then, switch to a plate moistened with water.
To Assemble the Hanami Dango
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Thread one dumpling of every coloration onto a skewer. Begin with the inexperienced dumpling first, then a white dumpling subsequent, and end with a pink dumpling on the tip. For an excellent presentation, preserve the tip of the skewer hidden inside the pink dumpling. Proceed with the remainder of the skewers and put aside. Tip: In case your palms get sticky from dealing with the moist dumplings, you possibly can wash the starch off your palms infrequently.
To Serve
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Serve the Hanami Dango at room temperature. Because the Hanami Dango is somewhat gentle tasting with only a contact of refined sweetness, I generally serve it with candy crimson bean paste (optionally available) on the facet.
To Retailer
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Possibility 1: After you kind the dough into spherical dumplings, you possibly can retailer the raw dumplings in a single layer in an hermetic container and freeze as much as a month. If you use them, boil the frozen dango with out defrosting.
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Possibility 2: After boiling and cooling the dumplings, pat them dry and pack them so they do not contact one another into an hermetic container. Freeze for as much as a month. If you use them, microwave or boil till they’re heat.
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Possibility 3: Put the leftovers in an hermetic container and preserve at room temperature for as much as 2 days. Should you stay in a sizzling local weather, discover a cool place to retailer it, however not within the fridge because the dango will turn out to be too powerful. Take pleasure in it inside 24–36 hours.
For the Optionally available Yomogi Dango Model
Diet
Diet Details
Hanami Dango
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* P.c Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
Editor’s Observe: This submit was initially printed on March 21, 2017. It was up to date with the revised recipe and new photos on March 12, 2023. It was republished with extra useful content material on March 19, 2024.
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