-
1
Soak the bamboo skewers in cold water for 30 minutes. Combine the joshinko and mochiko in a bowl. Add warm water gradually, working the dough until it is smooth and cohesive. The dough is ready when a pinched portion feels exactly like an earlobe — soft, pliant, and without stickiness or crumble.
-
2
Divide the dough into 16–20 equal pieces and roll each between the palms into a smooth ball. Thread 4–5 balls onto each soaked skewer, pressing them gently together.
-
3
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Lower the skewered dango into the water and cook for 3–5 minutes. This is where the dish lives or dies: the dango must be held at the boil until every ball has floated to the surface, then cooked for a further 2 minutes to ensure the interior is fully set. Dango that are removed before this point will carry a dense, gummy centre that no subsequent step can correct.
-
4
Lift the skewers from the boiling water and transfer immediately to a bowl of cold water for a brief moment to halt cooking and firm the skin. Remove and pat dry.
-
5
Grill the dango over a direct flame or under a broiler, turning, until light char marks appear on the surface and the skin tightens visibly. The exterior should show distinct, lightly blackened patches while the interior remains tender.
-
6
Combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the katakuriko slurry and stir continuously. The sauce thickens rapidly; it is ready when it coats the back of a spoon with a glossy, translucent film and falls in a slow ribbon.
-
7
While the dango are still hot from the grill, brush or spoon the mitarashi sauce generously over each skewer. Return the glazed skewers briefly to the heat — approximately 30 seconds — until the sauce sets against the surface with a lacquered sheen and a faintly tacky resistance when touched.