Mochi and dango are popular Japanese sweets, and they are sometimes confused with each other.
These treats are commonly associated with seasonal celebrations, but they can also be available all year round.
Mochi and dango are both made from rice, and they are also similarly shaped like a ball, however, they are made from different varieties of rice and have a few other distinguishing features.
This article explains the differences between these two treats
They are both traditional Japanese treats
In Japanese cuisine, there is a group of sweets known as wagashi, and they are made from different ingredients including rice flour and adzuki bean paste.
These sweets are inexpensive and may be made during different seasons.
There is a wide variety of these treats including mochi and dango. A lot of others are also very similar to or are made from mochi and dango.
Mochi is made with a sticky rice variety
Mochi is a rice cake that is made with a special type of rice known as glutinous rice.
Glutinous rice includes varieties of rice that are known for their stickiness. They are also called sticky rice.
Traditionally, a variety of glutinous rice known as “mochigome” is used to make mochi.
Mochigome is a sticky rice variety that is native to Japan. It is also a short grain variety of rice.
This sticky rice variety is steamed, then pounded, and formed into the smooth dough used for making mochi.
The rice is steamed
The traditional recipe for mochi is made with steamed rice, however, mochi is sometimes also made with glutinous rice flour
Corn starch, water, and sugar could also be added to the rice to make mochi.
The steamed rice used to make mochi is pounded into a dough, after which it can be rolled into a ball or stuffed with different ingredients.
Mochi often has a filling
Mochi could also be filled with a variety of ingredients.
The center of mochi could be stuffed with adzuki bean paste, matcha green tea, sugar, and other ingredients.
Unlike mochi, dango usually does not have a filling.
Dango is made with rice flour
Dango is a tasty and chewy treat that is made from rice flour, it is mainly prepared using a different variety of rice from the one that is used to make mochi.
This treat is made with a non-glutinous rice flour
The rice flour that is used for making dango is known as “uruchi,” as a result of this, dango is less sticky compared to mochi.
However, sometimes a small amount of glutinous rice flour known as “mochiko” could be mixed with the regular rice flour to make dango.
Dango may be skewered
After the dough for dango has been rolled into ball shapes, it may be skewered.
This dessert is usually covered with a syrup, and it could also be topped with a variety of toppings
Dango could also be sweetened with soy sauce, azuki bean paste, or soybean flour.
A variety of food coloring could also be used to make dango.
Types of dango and mochi
There is a wide variety of dango and different varieties of dango may be made for different seasons. They may have different colors as well as different flavors.
Kushi dango is skewered and glazed with “mitarashi;” a sweet glaze that is made from soy
Hanami dango has three colors and is also skewered.
There are also different varieties of mochi, they come in different colors or flavors, and they may also have a variety of fillings.
Daifuku mochi is filled with adzuki bean paste.
Sakura mochi is a pink-colored mochi that is filled with adzuki bean paste and wrapped in cherry blossom leaf.