The Versatility of Shiratama Dango

ABC Cooking Studio, which opened its first studio in Singapore in 2015, specialises in teaching people how to prepare Japanese cuisine. In this issue, we find out how to prepare shiratama dango.

Shiratama dango is a type of mochi made with glutinous rice flour. The difference between shiratama dango and mochi is that for the latter, you have to cook it before you shape it. For the former, you shape it into balls before cooking it.

As an ingredient, shiratama dango is very versatile. In the summers, it’s commonly served with shaved ice and ice cream. During the colder months, the Japanese people enjoy having shiratama dango with sweet red-bean soup or mitarashi sauce. Mitarashi sauce is a blend of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, water, and a bit of potato starch. Of course, you can pair the dango with other types of sauces as well, such as red bean paste, kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup), or kinako (roasted soy bean flour).

One thing to remember when preparing the shiratama dango is not to use too much water when mixing the glutinous rice flour as the dough will be too soft and cannot be used. The perfect texture should be similar to that of an earlobe. When preparing the mitarashi sauce, you’ll need to watch over the sauce as it cooks so that you can turn off the stove once the glaze thickens and has a glossy sheen.

While the Japanese mostly eat shiratama dango as a dessert, they occasionally pair it with soups during the New Year. However you enjoy your shiratama dango, we hope you’ll like the recipes on the following page!”

(Text Vanessa Tai/Recipes ABC Cooking Studio)

Shiratama Dango

Generally, shiratama dango is white. But as New Year is approaching, we have decided to make red and white shiratama dango. In Japan, the combination of red and white is a symbol of congratulations.

 

Ingredients (4 balls, 2 servings)
26g shiratamako
23cc water
A small amount of food coloring (Red)

Directions
1. Place shiratamako in a mixing bowl. Pour water little by little while stirring.
2. Knead the mixture until it becomes soft dough. The texture should be as soft as an earlobe. Divide into 4 equal pieces and roll into balls. Add food colouring to two of the dough balls.
3. Place the dough balls into a large pot of boiling water. Keep boiling for about one minute after they rise to the top. Lift out and place into chilled water.

Mitarashi Sauce

Ingredients (2 servings)
100cc water
2tbsp soy sauce
3tbsp sugar
2tbsp mirin
1tbsp potato starch

Directions
1. Place all the ingredients into a pot and cook over medium heat.
2. Once the sauce thickens and turns glossy, turn off the heat.

Watch the video on how to make Shiratama Dango on Oishii TV!

Cold Shiratama Dango with Edamame Paste

Ingredients ( 2 servings )
[Shiratama Dango]
80g Shiratamako
2tbsp Sugar
60-75cc Water
[Edamame Paste]
160g Edamame (frozen)
20g Sugar
A little Salt
2tbsp Water

Directions
1. Quickly boil the edamame. Remove the shell and peel off the thin skin.
2. Put the beans, sugar and salt into food grinder and grind it. Keep it refrigerator.
3. Place shiratamako and sugar in a mixing bowl. Pour water little by little while stirring. Knead the mixture until it becomes a soft dough. There is a saying that it should be as soft as an earlobe. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls.
4. Use finger to make an indentation in the center, so that it becomes ellipse shape.
5. Place the balls into a large pot of boiling water. Keep boiling about 1 minute after they rise to the top. Lift out and place into chilled water.
6. Serve it with edamame paste.

Black Sesame Shiratama Dango

Ingredients ( 2 servings )
50g Shiratamako
40cc~ Water
3 tbsp Black sesame (Surigoma)
3 tbsp Sugar

Directions
1. Place shiratamako in a mixing bowl. Pour water little by little while stirring. Knead the mixture until it becomes a soft dough. There is a saying that it should be as soft as an earlobe. Divide into 12 pieces and roll into balls.
2. Place the balls into a large pot of boiling water. Keep boiling about 1 minute after they rise to the top. Lift out and place into chilled water.
3. Put the balls on plate and mix well with black sesame and sugar.
4. Serve with sesame sauce.