This story begins during the childhood of Rachel Kaminaka, specifically in the kitchen of her aunt, Natsue Iwamoto, "Aunty Na-chan." Aunty made a favorite family dessert that she just called dango.

"Dango" is the Japanese word for any number of dumplings. Kaminaka described her aunt’s as mochi with black bean filling, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It was sweet and had no coconut flavor.

While preparing a family cookbook for a reunion last year, she and her cousins went looking for the recipe but couldn’t find it. Her aunt is ill now and could not assist.

Kaminaka’s call for help was printed here, where it drew a few responses that were not quite on point (no bean filling or no banana leaf). Then Cheryl Shklov sent in a suggestion adapted from "Unbearably Good! Mochi Lovers Cookbook," published by Teresa DeVirgilio-Lam in 1999 (still available for $7.95 from www.islandergroup.com).

Kaminaka tried it, had one of her cousins try it, and "we think the recipe is a match." More important, "My youngest daughter probably ate about four or five of them." For that next generation, the recipe is now written down.

Kaminaka added one tip: After two days the dango will start to harden. "I put the extra in the fridge, and microwaving makes them nice and soft again."

UMUSHI DANGO

Ti or banana leaves, cut into 3-inch squares and washed
Vegetable oil
3 cups mochiko (sweet rice flour)
1-1/2 cups flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups water
1 can koshi or tsubushi an (bean paste)

Brush ti or banana leaves with oil; set aside.

Mix mochiko, flour, sugar and salt. Add water and mix well. Knead 3 minutes, until smooth. Dust hands with cornstarch and shape dough into golf ball-sized balls, then flatten. Place 1 teaspoon bean paste in center, bring up edges and pinch together. Place each dango between 2 oiled leaves. Arrange on steamer rack or in a steamer basket (it’s OK to stack them). Place over a pot of simmering water and steam 20 minutes. Makes about 2 dozen.

Nutritional information unavailable.

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