Hanami Dango: learn how to prepare the Japanese sweet that became an emoji

Perhaps you have never heard of Hanami Dango, but you certainly know the emojiwhich has three balls (pink, white and green) stuck on a toothpick. Today we're going to tell you all about this sweet treat typical of Japanese cuisine, and we're also going to teach you how to prepare it at home. Check it out and innovate in your desserts!

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Hanami Dango – The Japanese candy that became an emoji

Dango has several variations, depending on the region in which it is made. The most common version is prepared with rice balls and a sweet soy sauce. This sweet is commonly found at Konbinis, which are basically Japanese convenience stores, and is usually served with green tea.

The dessert takes its name from a popular Japanese tradition, Hanami, which means “to see and observe the flowers during spring”. In this sense, it is believed that the practice dates back to the Nara Period (710-794) or Heian Period (794-1185). However, it currently takes place in late March in Kyushu or mid-May in Hokkaido.

Meaning of the colors of Hanami Dango

There is a meaning behind each color of this sweetie. Pink means cherry blossoms, while white represents the snow of past seasons and green is the color of grasses that come up in spring. Finally, check out how to prepare this sweetie below!

Hanami Dango recipe

Ingredients

• 1 and ½ cup glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup rice flour
• ¾ cup icing sugar
• 1 cup + 6 teaspoons warm water
• 1 tablespoon strawberry powder
• ½ tsp matcha powder
• wooden skewers

Method of preparation

1. Firstly, take a large bowl and mix together the glutinous rice flour, rice flour and icing sugar;
2. Then take three medium bowls and divide the contents into three equal portions. You can use a kitchen scale to divide the amounts exactly, or distribute about 1 cup for each portion.
3. To make the colorful dumplings take one of the bowls, add the matcha powder and mix well. After that, take another bowl, add the strawberry powder and mix it too. Leave the third bowl plain without adding any other ingredients.
4. Then add 2 teaspoons of water and mix until a dough forms. When it's consistent and smooth, it's on point. Then separate into equal pieces;
5. Shape each piece into small balls and place them in boiling water until they float. After floating, count for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the water and place in a container with water and a little ice.
6. Finally, dry the balls well and place them on the skewers in order: first the green one, then the white one, and finally the pink one.