Rice Dumplings for Amazing Festivals!

Japan has many delicious yatai (festival foods), including taiyaki (fish-shaped bread with different fillings), yakitori (chicken skewers), and everyone’s favorite dango (skewered rice dumplings). But there are many other types of dumplings you should know about, including Japanese chimaki!

We’re here to share their origin stories and the festivals that they’re connected to. And, of course, we’ll tell you how to make these dumplings for yourselves. Are your mouths watering now? Ikimashou! (Let’s go!)

What are rice dumplings?

Rice is a staple food in Japanese cuisine, eaten on its own and in savory and sweet dishes. It’s also an important part of various cultural and religious ceremonies. According to a famous story, a rabbit sacrificed himself to help the Old Man of the Moon. Rewarded for his kindness, he lives on the moon, pounding rice.

Japan has many rice dumplings, but we’ll name just a few here. Both dango and chimaki are made with rice flour, the latter typically wrapped in bamboo leaves, while mochi is made with pounded rice and can be made with classic fillings such as anko (red bean paste), matcha, fruit, chocolate, and sakura.

Chimaki are similar to zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), associated with the famous Chinese poet Qu Yuan. He drowned himself in the Miluo River in 278 BCE after the city of Ying was captured. Grateful for his patriotism, it’s said the people threw dumplings wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves into the river yearly so that the fish would eat them instead of his body. 

When do people eat them?

According to legend, the townspeople rushed in dragon boats to rescue Qu Yuan. That’s why zongzi are eaten during the Duanwu Festival, or Dragon Boat Festival, held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar (late May to mid-June). Scholars also eat them before exams since the Chinese word for “pen zongzi” sounds like the word for “pass.”

However, in Japan, sweet chimaki is one of several foods people eat on May 5th for Kodomo no Hi (Children’s Day). Traditionally wrapped in bamboo or iris leaves, they are differentiated from kashiwa mochi (oak leaf-wrapped mochi), which is also served that day. Children eat this chimaki for prosperity, good fortune, and protection from evil. 

Last, mitarashi dango, dipped in a sweet soy sauce glaze, is a popular food during the Mid-Autumn Festival (mid-September) as part of tsukimi (moon-viewing) festivities. In fact, it’s also called tsukimi dango. However, you can easily find it at street food stalls year-round.

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How do you make rice dumplings?

There are many variations of rice dumplings within Japan, China, and other East Asian countries. You can make dough using glutinous rice flour or tofu or buy pre-packaged wrappers. Bamboo leaves must be soaked overnight. Popular fillings include mung bean, sweet rice, salted duck egg yolks, Chinese sausage, pork belly, mushrooms, and dried shrimp.

You’ll start by washing, soaking, and draining the rice or mung beans, which will be mashed. Stir-fry the ingredients for the filling over medium heat and let it cool while making the dough circles or strips. Just before you form the dumplings, either dab the store-bought wrappers with water or soak them, depending on the instructions on the package.

Place a ball of filling in the center of the dough or leaf before folding it over. (You’ll place another leaf on top before wrapping it and tying it tightly with wire.) Put the dumplings in a pot with boiling water and cook over high heat for at least three hours, or pan-fry for four to five minutes on each side over low-medium heat. As for the dango, boil for several minutes, transfer to ice water to cool, and drain. Skewer three to four of them and fry for a couple more minutes, flipping them once. Make the sauce and enjoy!

Why should you eat rice dumplings?

Rice dumplings can be enjoyed as a snack or as a festive meal. The recipe is easy to customize, especially if you’re vegetarian or have extra ingredients you need to use up. They can also be cooked ahead and frozen for meals later.

Like we mentioned before, rice dumplings are connected to special holidays. Learning the stories and traditions surrounding them gives the food more meaning and significance. If you can’t celebrate the events in person, you can always participate by making these dumplings.

Finally, dumplings are a great way to make connections. If you’re away from home for the Otsukimi Festival, cook the dumplings to cheer yourself up and feel closer to your family. Better yet, share them with neighbors and classmates to celebrate together! Have you tried rice dumplings before? What’s your favorite version? Tell us in the comments.