Kushi Dango

Directions

1. 1
   Put the cup of rice flour in a bowl and add warm water.
2. 2
   Mix, then knead the dough well. If it's too wet, add more rice flour.
3. 3
   The dough is done when it reaches an even, smooth texture. It won't become as stretchy as dough made with wheat flour.
4. 4
   Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour if the dough is too soft, or some water (doesn't have to be boiling) if too crumbly. It should be soft yet firm enough to hold it's shape, like playdough.
5. 5
   Shape the dough into round dumplings.
6. 6
   Play around with the sizes. I made some as small as a nickel and some almost as big as a golf ball.
7. 7
   Grease the inside of your steamer with cooking spray, then place the dumplings inside, Place the balls at least an inch and a half away from each other. This stuff expands and sticks together in a bad way if you're not careful.
8. 8
   Steam them on high heat for 10 minutes.
9. 9
   Then take them out and put them on a rice-floured cutting board to cool down.
10. 10
    These things are sticky, so you don't want to leave out the cooking spray or the flour on the cutting board, trust me!
11. 11
    When they're cooled, skewer them, three to four per stick.
12. 12
    To make the sauce, mix the water, ,mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a pan, dissolving all the sugar, then cover and heat it on medium heat.
13. 13
    While that's warming up, mix the water and potato starch in a separate cup.
14. 14
    When the sauce boils, add the starch-water and mix quickly. The stuff will thicken up fast!
15. 15
    Slightly grill the skewered dumplings, then brush or spoon the sauce over them.
16. 16
    The dumplings are soft and chewy when fresh.
17. 17
    Refrigerating or freezing them will make them hard and not-very-pleasant-textured, but you can always microwave them for a half minute on medium power to restore them to their chewy, yummy state.