Indulge in the unique flavour of yomogi dango and enjoy authentic Japanese sweets at home with this recipe! This traditional little treat is made from glutinous rice flour and fragrant mugwort leaves and has the same chewy and bouncy texture of mochi. It’s often perfect for a light snack or dessert!
Table of contents
What is Yomogi dango?
Yomogi dango is a traditional Japanese sweet made from glutinous rice flour and the leaves of a Japanese herb called yomogi (mugwort). The yomogi leaves give the dango a unique flavour and green colour. It is also one of the three flavours of another type of dango called hanami (or ‘sanshoku’) dango. Yomogi dango is a popular treat during the spring season in Japan, particularly during the cherry blossom festivals, and can be served as part of tea ceremonies in Japanese culture.
Unlike mochi which is made from actual grains of sticky rice, yomogi dango and other types of dango are made from types of glutinous rice flour called shiratamako, joshinko or mochiko. In this recipe I used shiratamako.
Yomogi dango can be served on its own or with sweetened azuki bean paste and kinako soybean powder to enhance and complement the dango’s flavour. You can also enjoy this delicious sweet treat with a cup of hojicha or matcha.
What is Yomogi?
Yomogi is a type of Japanese plant thats leaves are often used to make desserts in Japan such as this yomogi dango and “kusa mochi”. Its aroma and colour make it perfect for adding a healthy and natural green hue and unique flavour to traditional sweets.
It is also known as artemisia princeps, Japanese mugwort, Korean mugwort, or Korean wormwood and typically grows in the southern area of Japan as well as in Korea. It is a perennial plant but its season (“shun”) is from March to May. Only fresh and new soft sprouts of yomogi are used for cooking. Luckily it was in season when I was in Japan and I found a lot of it growing near my mother’s veggie patch so I was able to make yomogi dango at home. In addition to being used to make wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) and other foods like bread and soups, yomogi can also be used to make tea which is perfect for any tea enthusiasts. It is also used as a medical herb in eastern medicine.
Yomogi is believed to be a medicinal herb with various health benefits because of the minerals and essential oils found in the leaves. It contains minerals like phosphorus and iron, as well as vitamin A, B, and C, and dietary fibre. The yomogi leaves are known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which can help treat inflammation and detox the body and the skin. There is also an old tradition of hanging yomogi outside along with iris leaves because it is thought that the strong fragrance keeps evil spirits away.
reference : museum obihiro
Ingredients needed
To make yomogi dango, you will need the following ingredients:
- fresh yomogi : yomogi is Japanese mugwort which is usually used for making “yomogi dango” and “草餅 (yomogi mochi)” because of its natural aroma and beautiful green colour. Read below on where to find this ingredient.
- bicarbonate soda : Usually about 1 tsp of bicarbonate soda is added to the blanching water in order to remove the strong astringent taste if using old leaves, but if the leaves are new sprouts and soft, adding bicarbonate soda is unnecessary.
- Shiratamako (glutinous rice flour) : This is the key ingredient for making chewy and sticky sweets like dango. Make sure to use high-quality shiratamako for the best results.
- Silken Tofu : Silken tofu has a high water content, giving it a soft and silky texture that is perfect for adding to desserts like yomogi dango to give it extra bouncy texture.
- Kinako (roasted soybean flour) for topping (optional) : Kinako soybean powder is made from roasted soybeans that are ground into a fine powder. It has a nutty flavor and is commonly used in Japanese cuisine as a topping for various desserts, including dango, mochi, and ice cream.
- Anko (red bean paste) for topping (optional) : Anko, or sweet red bean paste, is made from azuki beans and sugar. The smooth and sweet paste complements the slightly bitter flavor of yomogi dango perfectly.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Yomogi Dango
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make yomogi dango at home:
- Make yomogi paste – Wash yomogi under running water. Cook yomogi in boiling water with bicarbonate soda. Drain the cooking water and then soak the drained yomomgi in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Blitz the drained yomogi in a food processor.
- Make dango – In a mixing bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, tofu and yomogi paste and sugar. Knead the ingredients all together with your hand. Divide the dough into 16 equal sized pieces. Cook 16 dango pieces all together in boiling water. The dango will float on the surface of the boiling water when it is cooked. Scoop the floating dango into a bowl of cold water.
- Serving – Drain the cold water and serve the cooked dango in a small serving bowl with azuki bean paste and sprinkle kinako soybean powder.
Tips for Making Yomogi Dango
Here are some tips to help you make the best yomogi dango:
– Use fresh yomogi leaves for the best flavor. If you can’t find fresh leaves, you can also use dried yomogi leaves.
– Only pick about 10 cm from the end of new and soft sprouts because the old ones are quite stiff and strong in astringent taste. If you’re using old leaves, blanch them with bicarbonate soda to remove the strong astringent taste.
– Make sure to finely chop the yomogi leaves to evenly distribute the flavour throughout the dango.
– Adjust the amount of sugar according to your preference. You can add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like your dango.
– Be careful not to overcook the dango, as they can become too soft and lose their chewy texture.
Serving and Enjoying
This dango can be eaten in various ways:
- Serve the dango as a snack or dessert on its own or with kinako soybean powder and/or anko paste.
- Eat the dango along with a cup of coffee or if you’re more of a tea drinker then enjoy the dango with green tea, oolong tea, black tea, or matcha for a traditional Japanese treat.
- Pack the dango in a bento box for a picnic or outing. This is especially perfect during the springtime.
Where to buy and how to store Yomogi?
Fresh yomogi can be difficult to find outside of Japan. If you can’t find fresh yomogi then there is Dried Japanese mugworts which you can purchase from Japanese grocery stores or online. It will keep for a few days in the fridge and a month in the freezer. Alternatively, you can use yomogi powder if that is available at a Japanese grocery store near you.
If you are lucky enough to find fresh yomogi leaves, after you create the paste following the above preparation steps, freeze them in ice cube trays so that it will become handy mini size frozen yomogi paste cubes.
If you liked my recipe for Yomogi Dango, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Youtube, Pinterest, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest happenings on Chopstick Chronicles. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChopstickChronicles so I can see your wonderful creations!
Yomogi Dango 蓬団子
Ingredients
Yomogi paste
- 1 kg yomogi freshly picked
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda *1
- 2 litre water for blanch
Yomogi Dango
- 200 g Shiratamako(rice flour)
- 200 g Silken tofu
- 2 tbs yomogi paste
- 2 tbs sugar
- 4 tbs sweet azuki bean paste *2
- 4 tsp Kinako soy bean powder *3
Instructions
Yomogi paste
- Wash yomogi throughly under running water, drain excess water, and set aside
- Boil water in a large stock pot over high heat
- Add bicarbonate soda to the pot.
- Add yomogi to the pot and blanch them for a minute.
- Take yomogi out into a strainer to drain the boiling water.
- Soak the drained yomogi in cold water in a bowl for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Drain the water using strainer.
- Make paste of yomogi in a food processor.
Yomogi Dango
- Place flour, tofu, and yomogi paste in a large mixing bowl.
- Combine and knead the ingredients all together with your hand.
- The dough should be the same softness as your earlobe.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Roll the divided dough into a long cylinder shape (2cm in diameter). Chop them into 16 equal sized pieces.
- Round each piece with two hands and repeat same with the other dough.
- Boil water in a large pot over high heat.
- Add the dango all together.
- Dango will float on the surface of the boiling water when it is cooked.
- Scoop the floating dango into a bowl of cold water.
- Drain the cold water and serve the cooked dango in a small serving bowl with azuki bean paste and sprinkle kinako soy bean powder.
Notes
from Japanese grocery stores or online.
I must have missed something or blind. There is “2 tbs sugar” listed in the yomogi section of the recipe. Is that for mixing with the kinako flour topping or with the shiratamako in the dough section?
Hi Joe, it is going into the yomogi dango dough.
Hope mom finally got a food processor! โบโบโบ
๐ I don’t think she never will:D
Hi, I bought yomogi powder from Tomiz. Will it require blanching and soaking too?
Hi Belle, I often use Tomiz too. Well, if it is in powder form, you do not need blanching and soaking. I have never used powder one so I am not sure how much but you need to adjust flour amount, depends on how much powder you add.
Hello, I live in Australia too and first tried kusa dango when I visited Japan. I’ve tried so hard to find it everywhere but with no luck ๐
Would you know of any places in Australia that would sell it?
Hi Enna ๐ Which part of Australia do you live? I live in Brisbane and found Yomogi at a local nursery and growing it myself because I have not found any shop selling them. So I can only make a tiny bit. Unlike Japan, Yomogi is not growing everywhere even like roadside and they are all FREE. I bought Yomogi in a little pot and planted in my backyard. I grow Shiso, Mitsuba and yomogi those hard to find but they are common in Japan.Try specialty nursery who have rare herbs? I will keep my eye out and if I find like dried one, or in powder form in Australia or online, I will let you know ๐
In England the yomogi which we call mugwort is less aromatic, so I harvest the flowering tops instead. I may try using them to make this recipe!
Hi Miles, yes it is called mugwort too. I am trying to grow here in Australia too. It is not growing everywhere like it is in Japan… Hope you your flowering tops turn out delicious dango ๐
This certainly looks like a delicious dish and your photos are absolutely stunning!
Thank you Stephanie ๐
My husband lived in Japan for two years and I’m so excited to surprise him with this dish! He will LOVE it.
Hi Nellie, he will love it and bring back his memory of Japan and Japanese taste ๐