Chi Chi Dango

I had to make chi chi dango to appease my craving. I thought I found it at a Japanese market, but it was filled with marshmallows and strawberry filling! Boo. I wanted it plain and simple.

Ingredients
1 box mochiko
2 1/2 cups of sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla
1 (13.5 or 14 oz) can of coconut milk

several drops red or green food coloring (optional)
Potato starch (for dusting)

Directions
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease 9 x 13 inch baking pan with butter
2. Mix together mochiko, sugar, and baking powder and set aside
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk and water. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Slowly whisk in dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Add few drops of food coloring. Tint to desired color. 
6. Pour batter into greased pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour
7. Allow to cool completely (several hours to overnight).
8. Dust a surface with potato starch and turn mochi out. Cut into bite sized pieces using a plastic knife (plastic knife works best). Roll pieces in potato starch and dust off extra starch before serving

Store in an airtight container at ROOM TEMPERATURE (no refridgeration) for up to 3 days.

This was the first time I made chi chi dango. My mom would make it when I was younger, so I know the process. It's pretty easy to make, but it can be time consuming. The hardest part was cutting it and rolling it in potato starch. It took me over an hour to do that. I want to make layered mochi, but I think that's for another day.