In Japan, on Jugoya (the harvest moon), there is a custom of moon viewing by offering dango and pampas grass.
It is an event to give thanks for the harvest by offering dango (mochi balls) shaped like the moon.
When I was little, I would collect pampas grass from the nearby riverbank and make dango with my mother and sister to offer. Jugoya in 2023 will be on September 29th. Let’s look up at the moon together.
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INGREDIENTS for Tsukimi Dango: 15 dango
- 150g rice flour (joshinko)
- 130ml boiling water
Mitarashi Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp potato starch
- 100ml water
INSTRUCTIONS for Tsukimi Dango
STEP
Make Dango
- Put rice flour (joshinko) in a mixing bowl, add boiling water little by little and mix with a wooden spoon.
- Once the dough has cooled down, knead it with your hands until it is as soft as an earlobe.
- Divide it into 15 equal parts, roll, and flatten the top and bottom a little to make it easier to stack.
STEP
Boil Dango
- Boil plenty of water (not listed) in a pot, add the rolled dango. Boil for about 12 minutes (about 4 minutes after they float to the surface).
- Cool in cold water and drain. Cool the dango with a fan to make them a glossy shine.
STEP
How to arrange Dango
- Line a plate with white paper and arrange the dango.
- Place 9 dango on the bottom tier and 4 on the second tier. At the top, arrange 2 dango vertically when viewed from the front.
- Offer it where it can be seen from the moon. When decorating pampas grass, place it on the left side of the dango when viewed from the moon.
STEP
How to eat – Mitarashi sauce
- Enjoy with Mitarashi sauce (sweet soy sauce).
How to make Mitarashi sauce
- Put the ingredients for the sauce in a small pot and heat over low heat.
- When it comes to a boil, simmer while stirring until it thickens a little and becomes transparent.
- Pour the mitarashi sauce over the dango.
NOTES
- If the dango has become hard, fry it in a frying pan or warm it in the microwave.
