Oae Dango

Quick answer

Total time: 55 min
Level: Medium
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients: 12

About this dish

Oae dango is a local dish of the Moriyama and Yasu areas of Shiga.

Flattened rice-flour dumplings are boiled, cooled, and coated in shira-ae made from pressed cotton tofu, toasted sesame, miso, and sugar, together with carrot, shiitake, konjac, and komatsuna. Because the dumplings make the dressed vegetables substantial, the dish can serve as both a side and something offered with tea. It has been prepared especially for Buddhist memorial gatherings, while also appearing in everyday meals. The sesame is ground before the seasonings and tofu are worked in, producing a smooth coating that clings best when every boiled component is thoroughly cooled and squeezed dry.

Ingredients (4 servings)

Ingredient	Amount	Unit
mixed rice dumpling flour	200	g
water for dough	180	ml
water for boiling	3000	ml
konjac	80	g
fresh shiitake	25	g
carrot	50	g
komatsuna	150	g
cotton tofu	300	g
miso	50	g
toasted sesame seeds	25	g
sugar	50	g
mirin	15	ml

Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Add 180ml dough water to 200g dumpling flour in 3 additions and knead for 5 minutes until earlobe-soft.

Divide into 16 pieces, roll smooth, and press into disks 3cm wide and 1cm thick.
2

Heat

Boil 1500ml of the cooking water and add the dumplings.

Once they float, cook for 2 more minutes until translucent through the center, then arrange in one layer and cool completely for 15 minutes.
3

Heat

Wrap 300g cotton tofu in cloth and press for 20 minutes.

Cut 80g konjac, 25g shiitake, and 50g carrot into thin 3cm strips; boil in 1000ml of the remaining water for 3 minutes, cool completely, and drain.
4

Heat

Boil the remaining 500ml water and blanch 150g komatsuna for 1 minute.

Cool quickly in cold water, squeeze firmly with both hands, and cut into 2cm lengths.
5

Season

Grind 25g toasted sesame in a mortar for 2 minutes.

Work in 50g sugar, 50g miso, and 15ml mirin until smooth, then add the pressed tofu and grind for 3 more minutes into a creamy dressing.
6

Finish

Fold the completely cooled konjac, shiitake, carrot, and komatsuna into the tofu dressing for 1 minute.

Add the dumplings and turn gently for 30 seconds without breaking them, coating every surface, then serve immediately.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Rice-flour disks boiled for 2 minutes after floating
Finish cue: Once they float, cook for 2 more minutes until translucent through the center, then arrange in one layer and cool completely for 15 minutes.