Yomogi Dango 蓬団子

Yomogi paste

1. Wash yomogi throughly under running water, drain excess water, and set aside
2. Boil water in a large stock pot over high heat
3. Add bicarbonate soda to the pot. 
4. Add yomogi to the pot and blanch them for a minute.
5. Take yomogi out into a strainer to drain the boiling water.
6. Soak the drained yomogi in cold water in a bowl for 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Drain the water using strainer. 
8. Make paste of yomogi in a food processor. 

Yomogi Dango

1. Place flour, tofu, and yomogi paste in a large mixing bowl.
2. Combine and knead the ingredients all together with your hand.
3. The dough should be the same softness as your earlobe. 
4. Divide the dough in half. 
5. Roll the divided dough into a long cylinder shape (2cm in diameter). Chop them into 16 equal sized pieces.  
6. Round each piece with two hands and repeat same with the other dough. 
7. Boil water in a large pot over high heat.
8. Add the dango all together.
9. Dango will float on the surface of the boiling water when it is cooked.
10. Scoop the floating dango into a bowl of cold water. 
11. Drain the cold water and serve the cooked dango in a small serving bowl with azuki bean paste and sprinkle kinako soy bean powder.