Japanese Basics

Dango

Japanese Sweets

Written and analysed by Ryusei Hosono • • Updated: July 3, 2024
4.2 (21 Reviews)
dango

Three skewers of mitarashi dango rest on a plain white plate. Each bamboo skewer holds four soft rice dumplings, coated in a glossy caramel-brown glaze of sweet soy sauce that pools and drips down their sides. The pale, chewy dumplings show through where the glaze thins near the bottoms, and a few darker, almost scorched patches give the coating a slightly charred look. The plate sits on a warm wooden surface, with the skewers angled toward the viewer so the shiny glaze catches the light.

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Dango Photo: Ryusei Hosono / RyuKoch

Table of contents:

    TL;DR

    Dango (だんご), a traditional Japanese dumpling, is primarily made from rice flour (Mochigome) and can be enjoyed in various ways. The most famous preparation is Kushi-Dango, skewered rice dumplings often paired with matcha tea, a type of Japanese green tea. However, Dango is not just a sweet treat; it can also be incorporated into savory dishes, such as Nabe (hotpot), and even featured in meat variations. This site, Dango, focuses on these delightful Japanese sweets, exploring their versatility and cultural significance.
    Dango (jap. だんご), meaning dumpling in English, is usually made from glutinous rice flour (Mochigome). The most well-known preparation is Kushi-Dango (skewered dumplings) with Matcha tea (Japanese green tea). But dango can be eaten not only as a dessert. For example, you can put dango in Nabe (hot pot) or as a meat variant.
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    Comments

    • Gast Logo Marcel - 07. February 2019 12:04

      Hello, I ate Dangos at a Japanese restaurant in Berlin and was absolutely blown away by them. Afterwards, I looked for recipes online, but there are so many different versions and most of the quantities are given in cups, or sometimes not at all. And I can't do anything with cups, since there are so many different sizes for cups. That's why I would be really happy if you could maybe post a recipe for Dangos. Best regards, Marcel

      • RyuKoch Logo Ryusei von RyuKoch - 14. February 2019 19:06

        Hi Marcel, thanks for your comment. We'll give it a try and will definitely post about it on FB:) Best, Matthias

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