Shiba Inu Mitarashi Dango

Yay for three day weekends "as a fourth year", since everyone in medical school probably doesn't have this day off 😁. Even though I've been going out to eat and cooking up a storm, this weekend is also the last weekend to put in our residency spots for the match! Gah! I've probably explained the match system a gazillion time to my friends and family, but NO it isn't like a job offer and NO you can't pick and choose where you end up. Instead, you only get that ONE SPOT that you rank highest (if the hospital ranks you high too) and everyone finds out on the SAME day and SAME time.

It is definitely a strange system and sometimes I do wish it was like applying to college, where you can get "offers". But alas, our fate is pretty much dependent on some algorithm that matches each person to a residency spot so that no spots are left unfilled. So my life is in a limbo, since I have no idea if I want to go to the East or West coast. I'm still living out of boxes and our apartment still looks like a homeless shelter. Although, no excuse because it's been looking like that for the last 4 years haha. Totally not out of laziness... 😌

To keep this weekend nice and lighthearted for me and my roommate, I made a traditional Japanese snack called Dango (chewy rice cake mochi like balls) in the shape of Shiba Inus! How doge is that? Mitarashi is the sweetened soy sauce that is brushed onto the dango, which gives and salty sweet flavor. It is also enjoyed with sweet red bean or kinako!

Shiba Inu Mitarashi Dango

makes 24 dumplings

Dango
1.5 cup rice flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup glutinous rice flour (or mochiko flour)
2 tsps sugar
3/4 cup warm water

Sweet Soy sauce
3 tbsps sugar
2 tbsps honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp water
1/2 tbsp corn starch (optional)

bamboo skewers
black sesame seeds for eyes
sushi nori

1. Mix together the all the dry dango ingredients and then add hot/warm water. Using a spoong, mix until it forms a soft dough and then use your hands to knead together. The dough will feel soft and a bit dry to touch
2. Divide dough in half again and again until you end up with 8 pieces and divide each into 3 so you end up with 24 pieces in total. Shape using your hands into a dog face and butt
3. Prepare ice water bath and set aside. Bring large pot of water to boil and add a pinch of salt to water. Gently add dango a few at a time. After a few minutes, the dango will float to the surface and let it boil for another 3-4 minutes before scooping them out with a slotted spoon. Place immediately into ice water to help retain chewiness
4. Place dango pairs onto the skewers and set on a plate
5. To make the sauce, combine all soy sauce ingredients (except corn starch) into a small pot and bring to simmer. Keep stirring to not let it burn. If needed add corn starch to thicken
6. Pour or brush sauce over dango and serve warm
7. To decorate, use black sesame seeds for eyes. I cut nori into thin strips to make the star butt-hole (pardon my French) and circles for the nose

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Baked Mini Mochi Donuts

Having been sedentary for so long, my body feels like it's 80 years old and on fire after running 3 miles today! I have set myself back from years of training for all the triathlons, marathons and races I used to do before med school D: I know a lot of students find time to do intramurals, exercise religiously and actually have a life during the academic year. But I am definitely not one of them. I procrastinate like no one else. Before I even try to start studying, I have an itch to tidy my room, organize my desk and lay out all my pens in order of color. If my laziness is really bad, I will even go ahead and clean the toilet! Anything to get out of studying :P

I have been improving over the year though, so don't you worry about me. I need to graduate and start bringing my gazillion negative bank balance to at least a few negative hundreds. You know?! Drives me nuts. Anyhoo, other than thinking about my lack of money and muscles, here is a donut recipe made of mochi. They are so wonderfully soft with a little chew and not too sweet (my kind of dessert!).

They do look a little funky shaped because I left my donut pan in Richmond, so I had to Macgyver one out of my muffin pan and foil. Clearly doesn't look as great. Oh well.. This recipe is a keeper so I will definitely make them when I'm back in school!

Alsooo, congrats to Melanie for winning Joanne Weir's Cookbook. I hope you enjoy it!

Baked Mini Mochi Donuts

adapted from lafujimama
makes 15 mini donuts

1 1/3 cup mochiko
2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup agave or honey (I used agave)
2/3 cup coconut milk (or whole milk)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp butter, melted

variations
2 tsp matcha or 3 tsp cocoa powder

toppings
ganache - 1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips and 2 tbsp coconut milk (or heavy cream)
sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease mini donut pan
2. Mix dry ingredients (first 3) in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, mix wet ingredients: butter, milk, vanilla, agave and eggs
3. Combine dry and wet mix and stir well. If you want to make some plain vanilla ones, fill 4 donut molds
4. Split the rest of the batter, stir matcha into one and cocoa powder into the other. You can also just double up variations if you want to just make one type. Fill the rest of the mold
5. Bake for 12-15 mins. Let cool a bit in the mold and then flip them out onto a rack
6. Meanwhile, make the ganache. I just microwave the chocolate chips and coconut milk for 15-30secs. Stir vigorously to mix. Dip donuts into the ganache and then into sprinkles of your choice

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