Shidami-dango ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

1. [Making dried "Shidami"]
Boil fresh "Shidami" from water, bring to a boil, and spread over a colander, and dry until the shells are dry enough to crack (about 2 weeks, dried in the sun).

2. Crack to open the shells and remove the contents (sealed for long-term storage).

3. [Making Scum water]
Put the oak ashes in a colander lined with a cloth and place on a large container.

4. Pour 1,000㏄ of boiling water, allow to stand still, scoop and collect the supernatant. When if it gets muddy, allow it stand still again and scoop the supernatant. (It takes about 2 days)

5. [Removing the scum]
Put the dried "Shidami" and plenty of water in a pot and heat. Once the water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and stew for about 1 hour (Don’t let the acorns rise and fall).

6. Change the water and stew again. Repeat it about 10 times. Stew the third of 10 times with plenty of scum water.

7. Boil until the scum is completely removed, checking the taste of it, and discard the water.

8. [Making "Shidami-dango"]
Put the "Shidami" (which scum-removed) over low heat and add sugar and salt.

9. When the liquid is absolved, turn off the heat. Once it is cooled down, put the acorns in a blender (if you do not have a blender, you can use a spatula or pestle to crush the acorns).

10. Divide it into 6 equal portions and shape into dumplings weighing less than 40g each.

11. Serve with kinako (roasted soybean flour), if desired.