Hanami Dango

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. Put yomogi in a bowl and add hot water. Use a fork to combine well.
3. Set aside for 5 minutes, then strain the yomogi through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the liquid.
4. Combine the joshinko, shiratamako, and sugar in a large bowl and mix.
5. Add hot water in small increments to combine (never pour all the water at once) and mix well before adding more. When the dough feels like an earlobe, it's ready. If too soft, add more joshinko.
6. Divide the dough into thirds. Add red food coloring to one third, the moistened yomogi to another, and leave the last plain.
7. Knead each portion until the color is even and well combined.
8. Roll each color into 8 even balls (a #60 cookie scooper of 2 tsp works, though 1-1.5 tsp is more traditional; you may get up to 12 dango total).
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the white dango until they float, about 8 minutes, stirring at first so they don't stick. Once floating, cook 1 minute more.
10. Remove the white dango and immediately cool in iced water for 1 minute, then transfer to a plate.
11. Next cook the pink dango, then the green, repeating the process. Start with the lightest color so the water doesn't stain lighter dango.
12. Thread one of each color onto a skewer, in order of green, white, then pink. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days (not in the fridge, or the dango become tough).

Notes: If you can't find yomogi, substitute 1-1.5 tsp matcha green tea powder. For natural pink, use crushed freeze-dried strawberries/raspberries.