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Chichi dango
Hawaiian coconut milk mochi squares
Chichi dango are the soft, pastel-pink mochi squares made for Girls' Day, birthdays and graduations in Hawaii's Japanese-American families, and sold in little boxes at manapua shops and crack seed stores in Honolulu. Mochiko (sweet rice flour) is mixed with coconut milk and sugar, baked until set, then cut and dusted with potato starch. They are chewy, milky and lightly sweet. A common mistake is cutting them warm with a dry knife, which tears them; cool fully and use a plastic knife dusted with starch. Chef's tip: wrap the tin tightly in foil while baking so the top stays soft and smooth.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 ¾ cups coconut milk
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 drops red food colouring
- 2 ⅛ oz potato starchfor dusting
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and grease a 23 × 33 cm baking tin.
3 minStep 2: Whisk 16 oz mochiko (glutinous rice flour), 10 ½ oz sugar and 1 tsp baking powder. Whisk in 1 ¾ cups coconut milk, 1 cup water, 1 tsp vanilla extract and 2 drops red food colouring until smooth and evenly pink.
5 minStep 3: Pour into the tin, cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour, until set and springy and a knife comes out clean.
60 minStep 4: Cool completely, uncovered, at least 2 hours.
120 minStep 5: Dust a board with 2 ⅛ oz potato starch, turn the mochi out and cut into squares with a plastic knife, coating each cut side with starch so they don't stick.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does chichi dango take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of baking powder?
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per 1 tsp.
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