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What is Shiratama Dango?
Dango is a type of traditional Japanese rice dumpling. There are many different types such as mitarashi dango and hanami dango. Most types of dango are made from a mixture of rice flours, but shiratama dango (白玉団子) in particular is made from just glutinous rice flour and water. Its name means “white ball” and it has a light, bouncy, and chewy texture. It is also typically made without any added sugar, and its fragrance and mild sweetness occur naturally from the rice.
Unlike other dango varieties, shiratama dango are often served with other Japanese desserts such as Anmitsu (a kanten jelly and adzuki bean dessert) and Zenzai (red bean soup). However, you can enjoy them simply with fruits and syrup.
Despite them often being associated with sweet dishes, their subtle flavor and addictive texture also make a great addition to savory dishes like hot pots or soups too.
Shiratama dango are very easy to make and can be served in so many different ways, so I hope you give this recipe a try!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
Shiratama dango is made with just two ingredients, water and a special flour called “shiratamako”. Let me tell you a bit about it.
Shiratamako is made from a sweet sticky rice known as “mochigome” in Japanese, or “glutinous rice” (or sweet rice) in English. The rice goes through a long process of soaking and polishing, grinding with a stone mill and dehydrating to produce a unique rice flour that appears chunky and coarse, but is actually made up of a very fine powder.
This fine powder creates a beautifully smooth, stretchy and perfectly chewy mochi like no other. It is specifically used to make shiratama dango, and can also be used to make gyuhi, a softer version of mochi. I use shiratamako in my strawberry mochi recipe.
Shiratamako can be difficult to find, even in Japanese specialty stores. You can find it here on Amazon (affiliate).
In a pinch, you can use mochiko to make shiratama dango. Mochiko is also made from glutinous rice, but using a different process so the powder is not as refined and the final result is not as soft and stretchy. I include how to substitute mochiko in the recipe card below.
Mochiko is cheaper than shiratamako and can be also purchased on Amazon here (affiliate).
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Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make shiratama dango at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Measure the shiratamako into a bowl and give it a whisk to break it up a bit.
Add half of the water and use a spatula to mix it together. Keep adding the water a little at a time and knead it together by hand until a dough is formed. In Japanese, we say that it should have the softness of an earlobe.
Note if using mochiko: Substitute 10% of the mochiko’s weight with potato starch or tapioca starch. This will change the texture and make it a little closer to that of shiratamako.
Note: You might not need to add all of the water, so it’s important to add it little by little, kneading well between each addition. The dough should be smooth and hold its shape. If it has cracks, it might need a little more water. Instead of adding water directly to the dough, you can try wetting your hands and kneading it to incorporate more water without adding too much.
The dough should not be too soft or wet and should hold its shape when rolled. If you add too much water, you can add more glutinous rice flour to fix it.
Tip: Start boiling a pot of water so that it will be ready once you’ve finished shaping.
This recipe makes about 20 dango at a little less than 10g each. Cutting the dough in half and rolling it into two cylinders before cutting each cylinder into 10 pieces will aid you in dividing them evenly.
Once divided, roll each piece into a ball and press the center with your thumb and forefinger to make a dent. This dent shortens cooking time and improves the texture. If you’re serving them with syrup, it also helps the syrup pool in the middle rather than sliding off.
I like to place my completed dango on a piece of baking paper to prevent sticking just in case.
Once your water is boiling, drop the dango gently into the pot and give them a little nudge with chopsticks to stop them from sticking to the bottom.
Once they are all floating, set a timer for 1 minute.
After 1 minute, turn off the heat.
Use a mesh spoon to scoop up the dango and transfer them to a bowl of ice-cold water. This will stop the cooking process and cool them down, ready to serve.
You can keep them in a bowl of water in the fridge for several hours before serving.
It is common to serve shiratama dango with kuromitsu (dark brown sugar syrup) and kinako (roasted soybean powder) like pictured below. You can also serve them with other Japanese desserts, syrups, fruits, ice cream, and more!
Enjoy!
Jump to Full Recipe MeasurementsHow to Store
Shiratama dango are best consumed on the day that they’re made. It’s best to keep them in a bowl of cold water in the fridge to prevent them from drying out and then drain them right before serving.
Leftover shiratama dango freeze well too. To stop them from sticking together in storage, line a tray with baking paper and arrange the dango so that they are not touching. Freeze for about an hour, then transfer to a sealable freezer bag.
To thaw, you can microwave them for 40-50 seconds (600W) or soak in a bowl of water until softened all the way through. Soaking in hot water will speed up the process, but they should be transferred to cold water once they’ve thawed all the way through.
FAQ
Glutinous rice flour (shiratamako or mochiko) is sometimes available in well-stocked Asian supermarkets or Japanese specialty food stores (although it is not guaranteed). Since they are dry ingredients, you can also find them online. Shiratamako and mochiko on available on Amazon US (affiliate).
A little more water can fix a dry cracking dough, but you have to be careful not to add too much. Wetting your hands as you shape them, or lightly spritzing the surface of the dough with water in a spray bottle can be an effective way to add more water without overdoing it.
When making this recipe, the water should be added little by little to ensure you don’t add too much. Although I’ve thoroughly tested this recipe, different temperatures and humidity levels can affect how much water is needed so it can change depending on the environment. If the dough seems too wet, you can add more shiratamako.
Shiratama dango are usually served in desserts or with sweet toppings so it’s usually not necessary to add extra sugar. You can add sugar if you like, but you will need to reduce the amount of water, and the texture might change.
I hope you enjoy this shiratama dango recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
Enjoy Shiratama Dango with These Recipes
Shiratama Dango are perfect served with these recipes:
- Anmitsu (Kanten Jelly Dessert)
- Zenzai (Sweet Red Bean Soup)
- Matcha Ice Cream
- Homemade Tsubuan (Red Bean Paste/Anko)
Shiratama Dango (Rice Dumplings/Mochi Balls)
Ingredients
If using shiratamako
- 100 g glutinous rice flour shiratamako (see separate measurements if using mochiko)
- 90 ml water possibly less
If using mochiko
- 90 g glutinous rice flour mochiko
- 10 g potato starch (katakuriko) or tapioca starch
- 80 ml water possibly less
Optional toppings
- dark brown sugar syrup (kuromitsu)
- roasted soybean powder (kinako)
Instructions
- Measure 100 g glutinous rice flour (shiratamako) into a bowl and give it a quick whisk. Measure 90 ml water into a jug and pour half of it into the bowl. (If using mochiko, add 90 g glutinous rice flour (mochiko) and 10 g potato starch (katakuriko) to a bowl and whisk. Measure 80 ml water and pour half into the bowl.)
- Mix with a spatula and add the rest of the water little by little until a dough forms (you might not need all of the water). Knead between each water addition until you have a smooth dough with the texture of an earlobe. Note: You do not need to use all of the water.
- Start boiling a pot of water. While you wait, cut the dough in half and roll it into cylinders (if doubling or tripling the recipe, cut into quarters or sixths respectively). Cut each cylinder into 10 equal pieces then roll them into balls and press the center to make a dent.
- Place on a piece of baking parchment to prevent sticking.
- Once your water is boiling, gently place the shiratama dango into the pot and nudge them with chopsticks to stop them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Boil until they float (approx 3 minutes).
- When they are all floating, set a timer for 1 minute and prepare a bowl of ice cold water.
- Turn off the heat and use a mesh spoon to transfer the cooked shiratama dango to the bowl of ice water. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Drain and serve topped with dark brown sugar syrup (kuromitsu) and roasted soybean powder (kinako) to taste. Enjoy!
- If you have leftovers, place them spaced out on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze for 1 hour. After 1 hour, transfer to a sealable freezer bag and eat within 1 month. Thaw in the microwave (40-50 seconds 600W) or slowly in a bowl of water.
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