🇯🇵 Hanami Dango: Japan's Cherry Blossom Dessert | Travel To Japan Through Baking | 🌍 KITCHEN TRAVEL

What if you could experience Japan's cherry blossom season without ever leaving your kitchen? In this episode of Borderless Baking, my friend Esther and I make hanami dango, the colorful tri-colored rice dumplings traditionally enjoyed while picnicking beneath Japan's famous cherry blossoms. Along the way, we explore the history of hanami, learn why these little sweets became a symbol of spring, and discover the meaning behind their iconic pink, white, and green colors. This episode is extra special because I'm filming from Lexington, Kentucky, where Esther and I celebrated a BTS comeback together before heading into the kitchen for our Japanese baking adventure. 🌸 Join us as we cross borders through baking, one delicious dessert at a time. Grab your whisk—no passport required. RECIPE: Pre-soak 6 - 6" bamboo skewers. • 100 g joshinko (Japanese rice flour) • 100 g shiratamako (glutinous rice flour) • 67 g sugar • 160 ml boiling water 1. Combine flours and sugar in a large bowl. 2. Add in boiling water a little at a time while mixing until dough forms clumps. 3. Gather the dough into a ball and knead until dough becomes smooth. 4. Divide into three equal portions. 5. Color one portion pink and one green (I'm going to recommend food coloring for this, for obvious reasons). 6. Divide each colored ball (and the remaining white one) into six equal portions. Roll these into balls. 7. Cook the dumplings in boiling water until they start floating + 1 minute (approximately 8-9 minutes total). 8. Immediately place the cooked dumplings in ice water, then transfer to a plate moistened with water. 9. Thread one of each color dumpling onto a skewer - green at the bottom, then white, then pink. 10. Serve at room temperature - preferably under a blossoming cherry tree. TOOLS & INGREDIENTS (as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases): OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Spider Skimmer https://amzn.to/3QTEznT 6" Bamboo Skewers https://amzn.to/4p4UeNA Joshinko Japanese Rice Flour https://amzn.to/4paNr5l Shiratamako Glutinous Rice Flour https://amzn.to/4yagGcr Salt Pickled Edible Sakura Cherry Blossoms (If you're feeling daring) https://amzn.to/3SNcY8p Food Coloring Powder https://amzn.to/4wAilXf Artcome 4 Pcs Japanese Matcha Tea Set (For our pretend tea) https://amzn.to/4wyjQVV Matcha Green Tea Powder (And the tea we didn't get around to making) https://amzn.to/44AB8G1