Kushi Dango

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of shiratamako or joshinko glutinous rice flour with warm water, adding it gradually while mixing until the dough reaches a soft, smooth consistency similar to an earlobe in texture.

Pinch off small portions of dough and roll them between your palms into uniform round balls approximately 2-3 cm in diameter, placing the formed balls on a lightly floured surface.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat, then gently drop the dango balls into the boiling water in batches to avoid overcrowding.

Boil the dango balls until they float to the surface, then continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes to ensure they are fully cooked through.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked dango to a bowl of ice-cold water and let them cool for about 2 minutes to stop the cooking process and firm up their texture.

Remove the dango from the cold water and pat them dry gently with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Thread 3 to 5 dango balls onto each bamboo skewer, pressing them gently but firmly so they are evenly spaced along the stick.

Serve the kushi dango as is or optionally grill them briefly over medium heat for 1-2 minutes per side to develop light char marks before adding your desired toppings such as mitarashi sauce or sweet red bean paste.