Niigata
people have eaten rice processed in a variety ways. One such example is
sasadango, yomogi (mugwart) flavored dumplings that are
often filled with red bean paste and then wrapped in bamboo leaves (sasa).
Sasadango was made in the home through the 1920s. As time has gone by, the
techniques of making sasadango have been passed to Japanese sweets confectioneries.
Let’s visit a sasadango factory and see how they are
made.
A container of Yomogi (Mugwart)
Mugwart, known as “yomogi,” is an indispensable ingredient in sasadango dough. They steep and boil dried yomogi in water before adding it to the dough. They use yomogi grown in Niigata when possible.
Sorting
the Mugwart
They pick out the hard stems of the yomogi carefully and pound the yomogi and rice dumpling dough all together to make the green sasadango dough.
Washing
the bamboo leaves
Since sasadango is a local confection, many parts of the processing are conducted by hand and not by machine. They wash the bamboo leaves using an industrial machine, but they always check the work by hand.
The washed bamboo leaves are a shiny, rich green color. They are ready for wrapping the Sasadango.
Dumplings waiting to be wrapped in bamboo leaves
Sasadango dumplings are made of both glutinous rice and regular uruchi rice, the percentages of which are influenced by the confectioner, season, and what is put inside. The sasadango go from bright to dark green after steaming.
The dumpling is wrapped in multiple leaves
One dumpling is wrapped up with three or four leaves. The number of the leaves depends on the method used to tie up the sasadango.
A dumpling wrapped with three leaves
The sasadango wrapping process is done entirely by hand and takes a lot of training. Even a skilled confectioner cannot make more than 180 pieces of sasadango in an hour.
Wrapped dumplings tied with rush
Each area has its own way of tying the dumplings using the common rush. This confectionery uses two methods of tying to distinguish what is inside of the dumplings.
Steaming sasadango
They put a big bunch of sasadango into the boiler for steaming. In Niigata, in May, around the Boys’ Festival is when sasadango is in highest demand.
Cooling
the steamed sasadango
They hang steamed sasadango on a rack to cool down. Sasadango used to be hung on the laundry pole at home.
Cooled sasadango
After steaming, bamboo leaves lose their bright color and dry out. Seeing the sasadango like this, some customers wonder if they might be old. However, if the dumplings were boiled and then wrap with the leaves, the product would stay vivid green but lose the home-made taste of the original recipe.
Three types of sasadango: red bean paste, edamame paste, and kinpira
These sasadango are ready to serve. By steaming after wrapping with bamboo leaves, dumplings have the aroma of both the yomogi herb and bamboo. It is uncommon to put kinpira (sweet and salty sautéed burdock root) inside of dumplings, but this is normal to the people of Niigata. A modern version fills the dumplings with a paste of “chamame” soy beans that are a special kind of edamame grown in Niigata. Niigata locals love these home-made sweets, both the traditional-style that has been passed down and also the modern version.
Tanakaya Honten Minato Workshop
Niigata Visitors & Convention Bureau
Niigata City
