Tsukimi Dango (Moon Gazing Dumplings)

Method15 steps

1. 1

   Step 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.)

   Uses 100 g glutinous rice flour · Water for a pot of boiling water and a separate cooling bath

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Add 125 g silken tofu to the bowl and knead it with your hands.

   Uses Whisked glutinous rice flour · 125 g silken tofu (+ 5 g if the mixture is too dry)

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Knead the flour-and-tofu dough until smooth like play dough, with no cracks. If dry, add a little extra silken tofu in teaspoon increments. If extra tofu is unavailable, add water 1/2 tsp at a time instead. Stop when smooth, not wet.

   Uses Flour-and-silken-tofu dough · Extra silken tofu as needed if the dough is dry, optional · Water as needed to adjust dry dough, optional alternative to extra tofu

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Divide the dough into fifteen roughly equal pieces, about 14–15 g each. Roll fourteen into balls and reserve the final piece for the optional yellow dumpling.

   Uses Smooth complete dango dough

   
5. 5

   Step 5: Optionally knead a pinch of yellow food dye or turmeric into the reserved final piece until evenly coloured, then roll it into a ball. If omitting colour, roll it plain.

   Uses Reserved fifteenth piece of dango dough · 1 pinch yellow food dye (or turmeric powder)

   
6. 6

   Step 6: You should have 15 balls in total.

   Uses Fourteen plain dango balls · Fifteenth dango ball, optionally yellow

   
7. 7

   Step 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.

   Cook until the dumplings begin to float · 7 minUses Fifteen shaped raw dango · Pot of boiling cooking water

   
8. 8

   Step 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.

   Boil Dango · 2 minUses Dango that have risen to the surface · Separate ice-cold water for cooling

   
9. 9

   Step 9: After 2 minutes of floating, transfer the dango to a bowl of ice cold water and leave to cool for 5 minutes.

   Cool the cooked dango · 5 minUses Dango boiled two minutes after floating · Prepared ice-cold cooling bath

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Line a plate with kitchen paper and place the dango on the paper, leave them to air dry for about 30 minutes.

    Air-dry dango before stacking · 30 minUses Cooled cooked dango

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Make the base of the pyramid by lining up 9 balls in a 3x3 formation.

    Uses Nine dried cooked dango for the base

    
12. 12

    Step 12: For the next layer, add 4 balls in a 2x2 formation.

    Uses Nine-dumpling display base · Four dried cooked dango for the middle layer

    
13. 13

    Step 13: The top layer has two. If you make a yellow one, it should be on the top at the front of the display.

    Uses Thirteen-dumpling display · Two remaining dried cooked dango for the top

    
14. 14

    Step 14: Optional mitarashi sauce: mix 1 tbsp caster sugar, 1/2 tbsp mirin, 1/2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce, 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1 1/2 tbsp cold water in a small saucepan. Heat on low, stirring continuously until thick and glossy.

    Uses 1 tbsp white caster sugar · ½ tbsp mirin · ½ tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) · ½ tsp cornstarch · 1 1/2 tbsp cold water for optional mitarashi sauce

    
15. 15

    Step 15: Serve the dango with the optional homemade mitarashi sauce or smooth red bean paste.

    Uses Complete fifteen-dumpling display · Optional cooked mitarashi sauce · Smooth red bean paste to serve, optional alternative to homemade mitarashi sauce