Tsukimi Dango (Moon Gazing Dumplings)
Tsukimi dango is a chewy rice dumpling displayed and eaten during the Japanese mid-autumn festival when the moon is at its most beautiful. Learn the easy way to make this festive sweet with just 3 ingredients!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 15 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 100 g glutinous rice flour
- 125 g silken tofu (+ 5g if the mixture is too dry)
- 1 pinch yellow food dye (or turmeric powder)
- mitarashi sauce (recipe below or smooth red bean paste (optional))
- 1 tbsp white caster sugar
- ½ tbsp mirin
- ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 ½ tbsp cold water
Instructions
- 1
Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil over medium heat. While you wait, whisk the 100 g glutinous rice flour in a bowl. (If you use mochiko you can sift it instead.)
- 2
Add 125 g silken tofu to the bowl and knead it with your hands.
- 3
Knead until it reaches a play dough texture. It should be smooth with no cracks. If it feels a little dry, add more silken tofu 1 tsp at a time. (If you don't have any more tofu then add 1/2 tsp water at a time instead.)
- 4
Measure out 14 balls, approx 14-15g each.
- 5
Optional step: Add 1 pinch yellow food dye to the last piece of dough and knead until the color is even.
- 6
You should have 15 balls in total.
- 7
Gently add the dango to the pot of boiling water and stir from time to time to stop them from sticking to the bottom.
- 8
Once they start to float (approx 5-7 minutes later) set a timer for 2 minutes. During these two minutes, prepare a bowl of ice cold water.
- 9
After 2 minutes of floating, transfer the dango to a bowl of ice cold water and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- 10
Line a plate with kitchen paper and place the dango on the paper, leave them to air dry for about 30 minutes.
- 11
Make the base of the pyramid by lining up 9 balls in a 3x3 formation.
- 12
For the next layer, add 4 balls in a 2x2 formation.
- 13
The top layer has two. If you make a yellow one, it should be on the top at the front of the display.
- 14
Mitarashi sauce (optional)