09 Oct, 2008
Serve Up Pumpkin Pie On a Stick With Pumpkin Dango!
Posted by: Rachel In: Japanese Recipes
Fall is creeping in by degrees around the globe and soon the odors of roasting sanma and grilling satsumaimo will fill the air in Japan. In the US, the fall air will smell like mulching leaves and fresh carved pumpkins. We may be short on fall food sidewalk vendors to scent the breeze, but we’re never short on fall foods, especially the now ubiquitous pumpkin.
This humble vegetable has neatly elbowed it’s squashy way into popular food items, including ice cream and chai latte.
Pumpkin Dango!
I for one am grateful for Pumpkin’s culinary takeover and am a rabid fan of all things pumpkin. I’ve gone on a pumpkin spree like no one’s business this year, ever since the orange goodness has gone on sale at a buck a can.
I like to try new things with pumpkin every season, and since my main cooking love is Japanese desserts, I create a new, Japanese-inspired pumpkin dessert each fall. This year it’s Pumpkin Dango!!
Pumpkin Dango takes the traditional flavor of pumpkin pie, rolls it up and slides it on a stick. It’s gooey mochi filled with all the flavor of an American fave in an easy to eat Japanese snack food. What’s not to love?
Pumpkin Dango
- 1 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
- 3 Tbsp joshinko (non-glutinous rice flour)
- 3 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 cup warm water
- orange food coloring (optional)
- 1 recipe Pumpkin An (filling), recipe follows
- 6, 4 inch bamboo skewers
Pumpkin An
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, plain
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp allspice
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
Pumpkin Dango Details
Make the pumpkin an by placing the pumpkin puree in a piece of unbleached muslin cloth. Gather the ends of the muslin together and twist the fabric closed. Twist the cloth tightly over a clean bowl to drain the excess moisture from the pumpkin. Save the extra liquid and set aside. The pumpkin is strained enough when it can be rolled into a ball.
Place the strained puree in a small sauce pan and add the rest of the an ingredients. Cook over medium heat, adding the reserved pumpkin juice as needed to safely cook the puree without scorching it. The an is done when it becomes sticky and can be rolled into a ball. Cool the an in the refrigerator or freezer until it’s firm.
While the an is cooling, whisk the mochiko, joshinko and sugar together in a small bowl.
Add the food coloring to the water and slowly add the water a bit at a time to the flour mix. Mix with a fork at first but use your hands to knead the water the rest of the way into the dough. A fork won’t mix the ingredients together as well as your hands, and a fork will give no indication as to the true feel of the dough. Add more water until the mixture is as soft as an earlobe. Do not add too much water! Set aside.
Roll the cooled an into 18, 1/2 inch balls. Set aside.
Roll the mochi dough into 18, scant 1 inch balls. Set aside.
To make the dango, flatten a ball of mochi dough in a lightly damp palm and place a ball of pumpkin an in the center of the dough. Gather the edges of the mochi circle and pinch closed. Add a small dab of water if needed to seal the ball. Roll into a ball and set aside. Repeat.
After all the dango is rolled, skewer 3 balls onto a skewer and set it in a steamer basket. Repeat. Steam the dango on high for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Makes 6 Skewers
Difficulty: Moderate | Time: 1 hour| Ingredient Availability: Moderate
After rolling the filled balls into rounds, mold them into pumpkin shapes and use the middle of a skewer to lightly press ridges into the shape. Don’t press too hard, however. Adhere a green mochi-dough stem with a dab of water to the pumpkins and steam 10 minutes.
