Kushi-dango (skewered Sweet Dumplings)

BirdyBaker's Note:

This is a Japanese recipe consisting of sweet dumplings on skewers. These are widely enjoyed in Japan and by...ME..hehe. You often see anime characters munching on these yummies.I have edited thsi recipe, noting that glutinous rice flour is used.

• Total Time: 55 mins
• Prep Time: 45 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1 cup glutinous-rice flour
• 3/4 cup warm water

For Sauce

• 3/4-1 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons potato starch or 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water
• bamboo stick

Directions:

1. Put rice flour in a bowl and add warm water.
2. Knead the dough well.
3. Make small round dumplings.
4. Place the dumplings in a steamer and steam them on high heat for 10 minute
5. Cool the dumplings and skewer them in bamboo sticks. (3-4 dumplings each stick.)
6. Mix water, sugar, and soysauce in a pan and put it on medium heat.
7. Mix the water and potatostarch in a cup and set aside.
8. When the sauce boils, add the starch mixture and mix quickly.
9. Slightly grill the skewered dumplings and brush the sauce over them.

Reviews

[mrscookinqueen]

i give 4 stars for this recipe but only because the recipe needs some quirking. Most need more flour to get the dough to be the correct consistancy, i added about 1/3 cup more flour. I used mochiko glutenous rice flour...the sauce was perfect but there was excess sauce remaining. i got about 16 dumplings from this recipe but i could have gotten more had i known they expand during steaming i would have made them smaller. It would be helpful if the recipe stated how to steam these for people who are steaming ignorant such as myself but i figured it out:-) and i had to steam mine for about 17 minutes to get them to be just right...i also cooled mine immeadiatly under very cold water...anwyays my final product was yummy kushi dango dumpling goodness...the japanese equivalent of a caramel apple :-) i grew up in japan until i was 18 and this recipe turned out just like the dango dumplings i remember eating at street festivals such as Nebuta,cherry blossom and tanabata! they really hit on point to home! bomb diggity is my final rating!!! must taste these~!

[Nasseh]

After reading the other reviews I decided to double the flour & use 1 cup of water. This seemed to work just fine. I got about 36 dumplings out of the mixture. I used the listed amounts for the sauce & it was plenty. My son brought the final product to his Japanese class.

[po-par]

The amount of water was a little bit over with me too (didn't use it all), but the dumplings were still pretty awesome! I'll try to add some coconut instead of that much flour, so it gets a little lighter next time. Considering also some fruit for the sauce - lychee may work fine with the soy sauce taste. Easy recipe with great result, thank you BirdyBaker!