My lovely roommate is from Japan and just showed me how to make a typical Japanese sweet. It is such a delicious new taste, I had to share this with you!

JAPANESE DUMPLINGS WITH SWEET BEAN PASTE (SHIRATAMA DANGO)

Sweet bean paste:

100 g adzuki beans

50 g sugar

Dumplings:

50 g rice flour

About 5 Tbsp water

1 Tsp matcha tea powder (optional)

In a medium pot cover beans with water. Bring to a boil and strain. Again cover with water, bring to a boil and strain. Now just cover with water and boil for 1 hour. Add sugar and boil for another half hour. Either cool in the refrigerator for a nice summer treat or set aside for a warming delight in the winter time.

For the dumplings mix together rice flour (and matcha powder if you want green dumplings) and cold water until you have the consistency of play-dough. Form small balls or disks about the size and thickness of your thumb cap. Bring water to a boil and place dumplings inside. Boil until they float, about 3 minutes. Then spoon them into cold water.

Serve Shiratama dango in a bowl with warm or cold sweet bean paste.