Mitarashi Dango (Sweet Soy Glazed Rice Cakes)

Instructions

1. 1In a medium bowl, combine the 1 cup of glutinous rice flour and the 1/2 cup of tofu. Mix with your hands until a cohesive dough forms. If the dough feels too dry, add a tablespoon of water at a time until it comes together.
2. 2Divide the dough into 8 equal portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, about 2.54 cm in diameter. These are your dango.
3. 3Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with enough water to cover the dango and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat (100°C / 100°C). Carefully add the dango to the boiling water. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the dango float to the surface and appear slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon to remove the dango and place them in a bowl of cool water for 1 minute to stop the cooking and cool them slightly.
4. 4While the dango are cooling, prepare the glaze. In a small saucepan, whisk together the 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of potato starch, and 1/4 cup of water until the potato starch is fully dissolved. Place the saucepan over medium heat (148.9-176.7°C / 150-175°C). Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon.
5. 5Thread 3 or 4 of the slightly cooled dango onto each of 3 or 4 skewers. You can discard any extra skewers if you have fewer than 12 dango.
6. 6Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (204.4-232.2°C / 200-230°C). Grill the dango skewers for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they have light char marks and are heated through. Watch carefully to prevent burning.
7. 7Remove the skewers from the grill. Brush the warm dango generously with the prepared sweet soy glaze. Serve the Mitarashi Dango immediately while they are warm and chewy.

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