Японские рисовые галушки данго

Japanese rice flour dumpling

Dango ([[wikt:団子)
is a Japanese dumpling made from rice flour mixed with uruchi rice flour and glutinous rice flour. It is different from the method of making mochi, which is made after steaming glutinous rice. Dango is usually finished round shaped, three to five dango are often served on a skewer (skewered dango pieces called kushi dango (串団子)). Generally, dango comes under the category of wagashi, and is often served with green tea. It is eaten year round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons.

The many different varieties of dango are usually named after the various seasonings served on or with it.

Red bean paste (Anko dango) is commonly covered with sweetened red bean paste; ingredients other than azuki are used on rare occasions. Other toppings for anko include zunda ([[:ja:ずんだ) made from edamame paste and kurumi (walnut) paste. Cha dango (茶団子) is green tea (matcha) flavored dango. Soy sauce (Shoyu dango) is a kind of baked dango (yaki dango (焼き団子)) and is seasoned with soy sauce. Furthermore, the one wrapped with nori is called isobe dango (磯辺団子). Hanami dango (花見だんご) also known as sanshoku dango (三色団子) is eaten during hanami. It has three colors (pink, white and green), and is traditionally made during sakura viewing season, hence the name (hanami means "flower viewing"; hana meaning "flower", and mi meaning "to see"). The order of the three colored dumplings is said to represent the order in which cherry blossoms bloom. Pink represents cherry buds, white represents cherry blossoms in full bloom, and green represents leafy cherry blossoms after they have fallen. kibi dango (millet dumpling) (Kibi dango) is made with millet flour. This variety is prominently featured in the tale of Momotarō, a folkloric Japanese hero, who offers the rounded ball (not skewered) to three talking animals in exchange for their aid in fighting demons. Kinako (きなこ団子) is made with toasted soy flour. Kusa dango or yomogi dango (草団子 or よもぎ団子) is mixed leaves of yomogi, like kusa mochi. It is often covered with anko. Mitarashi dango (Mitarashi) is covered with a syrup made from shouyu (soy sauce), sugar, and starch. Sasa dango ([[:ja:笹団子) is produced and eaten primarily in Niigata Prefecture. Sasa dango has two varieties: onna dango and otoko dango. Onna dango (literally "female dango") is filled with anko, while the otoko dango (literally "male dango") is filled with kinpira. The dango is wrapped in leaves of sasa for the purpose of preservation. Shiratama dango ([[:ja:白玉) is eaten in anmitsu or mitsumame. Tsukimi dango (月見だんご) is white dango to eat during Tsukimi. It is traditionally made during autumn full moon (Mid Autumn Festival).

Botchan dango ([[:ja:坊っちゃん団子) has three colors. One is colored by red beans, the second by eggs, and the third by green tea. Botchan dango is a product name of Ehime’s miyagegashi, which was named after Natsume Sōseki’s novel Botchan. Chichi dango ([[:ja:乳団子) is a slightly sweet, light treat usually eaten as a dessert. Denpun dango ([[:ja:でんぷん団子) from Hokkaido is made from potato flour and baked with sweet boiled beans. Kuri dango (栗だんご) is coated in chestnut paste. Meatball (Niku dango) is a type of Japanese meatball. Chicken niku dango is called tsukune, served on a skewer.

A common Japanese proverb "hana yori dango" ([[wikt:花より団子) refers to a preference for practical things rather than aesthetics. A hairstyle consisting of dango like buns on either side of the head is sometimes known as odango. Dorodango is a Japanese art form in which earth and water are molded to create a delicate, shiny sphere, resembling a billiard ball.

Bánh hòn is a specialty dessert of Phan Thiet. The cake is made from tapioca flour, coconut, roasted peanuts, salt and sugar. When finished, it is rolled over shredded coconut and skewered like Japanese dango.

The Unicode emoji character 🍡 is used to resemble hanami dango. The character was introduced in October 2010.