Healthy Mitarashi-Dango オカラ入りみたらし団子

I love chewy japanese sweets <3  Any time my sweet tooth calls, it is impossible to feel bad eating anything mochi-based. For gods sake, its only riiiiiice 


So recently I have been making a lot of mitarashi-dango (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitarashi_dango)
But, rather than do the normal shiratamako (rice flour, 白玉粉) and joshinko (glutenous rice flour, 上新粉)   
I made it healthy with shiratamko and okara (soy pulp オカラ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okara_(food)

Dry-okara is at most super markets for close to 100 yen,,, If you buy it raw at a tofu shop, I wouldn`t doubt that it would be cheaper, or free if you work your charm.




While normally these are pretty chewy and bouncy, when making them with soy pulp, they become slightly softer. But equally delicious! 


 Ingredients:
Shiratamako
Okara (optional)


(for the sauce)
Soy sauce                           4 tbsp
mirin (rice cooking wine)          4 tbsp
sugar                                   1/2 cup
katakuriko starch (Oftentimes outside of japan, cornstarch is used as a substitute)  3 teaspoons
water                                   1/2 cup


☆ the amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste,, I prefer a sweet to savory here.




1)Take the shiratamako and dump it into a bowl. Slowly add water by the tablespoon while mashing it all together until it forms a dry-mashed potato-like consistency. It should be dry enough to make a ball shape without it sticking and spreading across your hands, but not too dry that it itsn`t soft.
☆　if using the okara (healthy soy power, if you can, do it.) add a little extra water while incorporating, as the okara dries it out pretty quickly (☆however, if using fresh,raw okara, this may not be a problem.)

It should be around this consistency. Doesn`t stick to the bowl, but also isn`t crumbly and dry.

2) Form balls out of the mixture and drop gently into a large pot of boiling water. Once they start floating and surfacing, allow them to boil for 2 more minute before removing and transferring to a bowl of ice water.


SAUCE SAUCE SAUCE


1) While the dango are cooling off, take all of the sauce-ingredients and in no particular order, pour into a small sauce pan on medium heat. As it heats and comes to a boil, it will thicken and become a nice caramel colored sauce. You can make it thin , or let it gel up a bit ( I diiiiid)




Completion and presentation:
You can place the dango in a bowl and pour the sauce on top, or (like me) skewer the dango and brush the sauce on top.
You could also get creative and try throwing sauce-covered dango into your friend`s mouth from a distance as a challenging game. Your call.

Finished!