Dango

Dango (団子) is a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko (rice flour), related to mochi. It is sticky and filling. It is often served with green tea.

Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer. One variety of dango from Hokkaido is made from potato flour and baked with shoyu (soy sauce).

In 1998, dango experienced a surge of popularity in Japan: a song entitled "Dango-san-kyōdai" (three dango brothers) was released and a craze for eating dango developed. In a play on words, the song is a tango.

A common Japanese saying is Hana Yori Dango (花より団子) which translates as "Food before Flowers" (more exactly "dumplings rather than flowers"). "Food before Flowers" refers to a preference for practical things rather than aesthetics.

There is also a series whose title is a pun on this saying entitled Boys Over Flowers (花より男子) (literally "Boys before Flowers") [The title is a fairly typical Japanese Kanji Pun]

Dango is used internationally amongst go players as a derogatory term for an inefficient, dumpling-like cluster of stones in a go game. It is also the name of a go variant invented in 1991.

"Dango" (bid rigging) or prearranged business agreement in which contractors privately form an agreement in advance on bid prices, etc. used to be a habitual practice of the Japanese construction industry. Industries that are heavily dependent on government subsidies and aid are also still seeing a downturn. The agro-industry is a prime example of this.

Dango, real name Josh Cellan, is also the drummer for American punk band, Amber Pacific.

Different Types

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

An: Commonly known as (sweetened) red bean paste, while ingredients other than azuki are used on rare occasions. An-Dango is the most popular flavor in Japan.
Mitarashi: A syrup made from shoyu (soy sauce), sugar and starch. Popular with children.
Kinako: A toasted soy flour.
Goma: sesame seeds. Also considered to be a "healthy" food. It is both sweet and salty.
Chichi-Dango are slightly-sweet light treats usually eaten as a dessert.
Nori: dried and seasoned seaweed

Different Types

See also