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Preparation
10 minutes
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Cooking
20 minutes
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Difficulty
Easy
Mitarashi dango – Japanese grilled rice dumplings is a type of cake with a chewy texture combined with a rich sweet sauce that brings a very delicious and appealing flavor. If you are curious about the taste of this cake, quickly get into the kitchen with TasteVN!
Ingredients for Japanese Grilled Rice Dumplings – Mitarashi dango For 3 people
Glutinous rice flour 230 gr Cornstarch 2 tablespoons Mirin 2 tablespoons Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Sugar 2 tablespoons Salt 1/2 teaspoon Water 160 ml
What is mirin? Where to buy it?
- Mirin is a special seasoning sake used to prepare many dishes in Japanese cuisine. Mirin is essentially Japanese rice wine but has a lower alcohol content and a higher sugar content than regular rice wine.
- You can easily buy mirin at Japanese stores or supermarkets; additionally, many e-commerce websites also sell a variety of mirin products for your convenience.
Utensils needed
Pot, non-stick pan, bowl, grilling rack, skewers,…
How to make Japanese Grilled Rice Cakes – Mitarashi dango
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Mixing and kneading the dough
Put 230g of glutinous rice flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a bowl and mix well. Then, gradually add 130ml of boiling water and mix until the dough sticks together.
Next, use your hands to knead the dough until it forms a uniform, smooth, and elastic mass.
Tip: To ensure the dough sticks well and doesn’t crumble, you should knead it while it’s hot!
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Dividing the dough and shaping
Divide the dough into several equal parts, each about the size of a large finger segment, and then roll them into balls.
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Boiling the cakes
Boil a pot of water, add the dough balls and cook until they turn translucent and float to the surface, indicating they are done.Next, soak the cakes in a bowl of cold ice water to cool them down and enhance their chewy texture, then remove them to drain.
After that, skewer the cakes onto bamboo sticks, with about 3 – 4 pieces per stick.
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Grill the cakes
Place the grilling rack on the gas stove, arrange the rice cake skewers on top, and grill over low heat for about 1 minute until the surface of the cake firms up.
Next, heat the pan, place the cakes in, and sear all sides over low heat until a light crispy crust forms, slightly charred on the outside is ideal.
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Make the sweet soy sauce
Place a pot on the stove, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of mirin, and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and it begins to boil.
Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water. Then, pour this mixture into the sauce pot, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens.
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Completion
Place the rice cake on a plate and drizzle the sauce over it to enjoy immediately.
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Final Product
Japanese Grilled Rice Cake – Mitarashi dango has a thin, crispy outer layer, with a chewy and soft inside, featuring a delightful aroma of roasted glutinous rice flour. Moreover, each cake ball blends harmoniously with the rich, sweet sauce, making it extremely delicious.
What is Mitarashi dango?
- Mitarashi dango – also known as Imperial Sweet Rice Dumpling, originates from the tea house Kamo Mitarashi in the Shimogamo region, Japan.
- This is a type of dango usually made from glutinous rice flour, skewered on bamboo sticks with a quantity of 3 – 5 balls, and is particularly grilled until charred and evenly coated with a sweet soy sauce.
- This grilled rice cake is often eaten on holidays or featured on Japanese altars; however, currently, sweet soy sauce grilled rice cakes are widely sold as a street snack.
With how to make Japanese grilled rice cake – Mitarashi dango simply and quickly as guided by TasteVN above, you will surely be able to easily succeed in making this soft, delicious, and uniquely flavored rice cake to enjoy with friends!
