Active Time

　　30 minutes

　　Total Time

　　30 minutes

　　A springtime favorite in Japan, mitarashi dango are grilled glutinous rice dumplings coated in a sweet soy glaze. Street vendors grill and sell them at festivals, but similar snacks are also available at many convenience stores.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 5 skewers

　　150 g (5½ oz) silken tofu

　　100 g (3½ oz) shiratama-ko (Japanese glutinous rice flour)

　　

For the Mitarashi syrup

½ cup water

　　40 g raw (demerara) sugar

　　3 Tbsp. soy sauce

　　1 Tbsp. mirin

　　1 Tbsp. potato starch

　　

Step 1

Knead the tofu and rice flour together, mashing the tofu well with your hands. Once the mixture forms a smooth dough, shape it into a log. Divide into 20 pieces and roll the pieces into small balls. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. 

　　

Step 2

Cook the balls in boiling water: once they rise to the surface, cook for a further 2 minutes. Transfer the cooked rice balls to a bowl of cold water to cool them down quickly. Drain, then thread 4 balls onto each skewer. 

　　

Step 3

Lightly char the surface of the balls on a wire grilling rack, either on the barbecue over medium-high heat, or over a gas ring. If you don't have a grilling rack, you can char them on a high heat in a dry frying pan.

　　

Step 4

To make the syrup, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. Reduce the heat to low, and continue to stir and cook for another minute until the syrup becomes thick and clear. Roll the skewers in the syrup so the balls are well coated. 

　　Excerpted from Tokyo Cult Recipes by Maori Murota. Copyright © 2016 by Maori Murota. Reprinted courtesy of Harper Design, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Buy the full book from Amazon.