Mister Donut Pon de Ring Copycat Recipe: It tastes amazing!!

We were supposed to take a family trip to Japan this month, but because of the pandemic, we had to cancel our plans. One of the (MANY) things I was looking forward to was eating donuts from Mister Donut… specifically their pon de ring donuts. If you have not eaten these, you have not lived! I am not a huge fan of the traditional dense & cakey donuts in the United States. <I do like donuts from Krispy Kreme and Duck Donuts when they are fresh.> But these donuts in Japan… they are NEXT LEVEL. Not only are they pretty to look at, but the taste is just indescribable. The donuts are a perfect amount of chewy with a slight crisp on the outside.

During this quarantine, I have been craving these donuts so I looked for a copycat recipe. The first one I found was a fail… didn’t taste like the original at all.

The second recipe I tried by Oceans-Nadia was winner!! It tasted as close to the real thing as you could get, I think. But the recipe called for shiratamako, which is very hard to find (and expensive) where I live. So I experimented with using mochiko instead, and I also experimented with using different types of tofu. Yes, you heard right– TOFU! But you can’t taste it at all in the finished product. The tofu helps give the donuts just the right texture.

These donuts were so good we have made them THREE TIMES this week!

Here is our final recipe!

Mister Donut Pon de Ring Donut Copycat Recipe (makes 4 donuts)

Ingredients:

100g Mochiko (we used Koda Farms brand)

100g Pancake Mix (We used our favorite: Birch Benders Classic Recipe Pancake Mix)

100g Extra-Soft Tofu

100g Plain Yogurt

Vegetable Oil (for frying)

Parchment paper (4 squares, about 4inches by 4 inches)

For the glaze:

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 Tbsp Milk

1 Tbsp Honey

Instructions:

1. Mix the first 4 ingredients together in a bowl using your hands or a wooden spoon until it is all the same texture. It might look really dry at first but it will come together. After mixing, dump it out onto a clean surface and knead a few times. It should be soft like play-doh and slightly sticky. Start heating up oil to medium-high(I used about 4 cups of oil? Deep enough for frying the donuts)
2. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Set 3 of the pieces aside.
3. Take one piece and divide it into 8 equal pieces. Roll each of those pieces into a ball.
4. Arrange those 8 balls onto a piece of parchment paper so they they form a ring. The balls should touch each other but don’t smush them together.
5. Repeat with the other dough so you end up with 4 rings total.
6. Make the sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar, milk, and sugar together in a bowl.
7. Carefully, scoop up each ring INCLUDING the parchment paper with a spatula-turner. Then gently slide the dough+paper into hot oil.
8. Fry the donut for 1-3 minutes, then flip and fry for 1-3 more minutes (watch them carefully… I flip when they start turning golden in color). Discard the paper.
9. When the donuts are done frying, carefully lift them out with tongs and dip them in the sugar glaze on both sides. Place on a cooling rack (I place my cooling rack on top of a baking sheet to catch all the drips).
10. Wait a few minutes, then enjoy!

I am not a food blogger, so my recipe might be lacking. I highly recommend watching this video by ochikeron, especially if you are unsure about how to make the pon de ring shape. Her recipe is very similar!

Some additional notes:

• If you DO have shiratamako, you can use that instead of mochiko. It will make your donuts even more mochi-mochi. I made this recipe using just mochiko, just shiratamako, and half mochiko+ half shiratamako. The donuts turned out great each time.
• I have made this recipe with both regular tofu, and extra-soft tofu. The extra-soft tofu made the dough much easier to mix, but both tofus resulted in similar-tasting donuts.
• Instead of dipping the donuts in the sugar glaze, you can use a spoon or pastry brush to apply the glaze to the top of the donuts instead.
• Instead of this sugar glaze, you can dip the donuts in chocolate or kinako instead. Yum!
• The type of pancake mix you use could make a huge difference in the taste and texture of these donuts. We really love the Birch Benders mix. Other people have had success using Japanese hotcake mix.
• If making the pon de ring shape is intimidating, you can just roll the dough into a normal donut shape, or even just make donut holes.

Let me know if you try it!

Setsubun with Kids!子供と節分！

Sunday February 3rd, 2019 is a Japanese holiday called Setsubun (せつぶん). It is a day when you chase evil out and invite good fortune in by calling out, “Oni wa~ soto! Fuku wa~ uchi!” If you are unfamiliar with this holiday, Chika of Japanagos does a great job explaining in this video:

Setsubun is easily one my my children’s favorite Japanese holidays. We keep it pretty simple– one parent puts on an oni (ogre) mask, and the kids throw dry soybeans a them. Sometimes we make ehoumaki (rolled sushi). Here are some fun and easy ways to celebrate setsubun even if you live outside of Japan!

1) Make an Oni Mask or Craft!

There are many free printable oni masks online. Here is one from glico:

Also check out ちびむすブログ and KF Studio for ready-to-print masks!

If you want to put forth more effort, there are A LOT of amazing setsubun/oni craft ideas at the website HoiClue. My favorites are these oni hats, oni bag, and oni ball-throwing game. Seriously, go check out HoiClue. So many great game ideas, too!

The Happy Birthday Project has instructions for how to make oni horns (つの) which I thought was really cute.

Instagrammer @hirommy_anniversary has great setsubun party decoration ideas, here.

2. Make Setsubun Food!

I fell in love with this Setsubun bento box. It doesn’t look too difficult so I might give it a try. I found this idea at トクバイニュース:

They also offer suggestions for how to make Ehoumaki.

3. Learn the Oni no Pants (おにのパンツ) song!

I think every preschooler in Japan learns this song. My daughter learned it at her Japanese School last week and she loves to sing it with the hand motions. This video by ハピクラワールド is pretty similar to the version she learned:

There are many versions of this popular song. Check out videos by キッズボンボンTV and ピンキッズ.

4. Read/Watch stories and videos about Setsubun

There are many Japanese children’s books about Setsubun, but do not despair if you do not have access to Japanese books. Many are available on YouTube as read-alouds. Check out these setsubun videos by PopoKids and KidsTube.

If you’ve been following me for awhile, you know I love Shimajiro/Benesse. I think this video is one of the best for teaching young children about Setsubun:

And click here for another Shimajiro video about Setsubun.

If you like Chibi Maruko-chan, here is a ちびまる子ちゃん video about Setsubun.

5. Use this opportunity to reinforce hiragana 😉

Your kids might groan, but you can find printable hiragana-practice worksheets at ちびむすドリル about Setsubun.

 

I hope I’ve provided enough ideas for you to get started!! You are also welcome to check out my Setsubun Pinterest Board for more ideas, or look back at my past posts about this holiday here(2013), here(also 2013), here(2012) and here(also 2012).

Japan-inspired Classroom Valentines

Eek! It has been a long time since I last blogged! So sorry. (I post more often on my –> Hiragana Mama facebook page if you’d like more updates!).

So the fall/winter holidays came and went in a whirlwind and now it’s almost Valentine’s Day! At my children’s school, they still exchange valentine cards so I’ve been trying to brainstorm ideas for cards. If you want to be unique, why not try a Japan-inspired Valentine’s card?

For example, use origami. Here are some ideas I found on Pinterest. There are hundreds of ideas on there! Here are my favorites.

First, a unicorn origami valentine bookmark, found at willowday.net.

Next up, Origami Troll valentines, by PinkStripeySocks.com.

Aren’t they sooo cute??

Here is an origami Kissing Lips valentine by homemade-gifts-made-easy.com

You can visit Origami Club to learn how to make basic hearts out of origami: Origami Club.

If you and your kids are not the crafty types, you can always purchase pre-made cards from places like Etsy.

Check out this cute Totoro valentine by Etsy seller playerNo2

 

You could also buy clip art from sellers like Cockatoo Design

Minted.com also has these adorably clever cards that you can order.

Udon Card

Wasaaaabae (this one is my favorite)

Check out Minted for even more! (No, not sponsored. No part of this post is sponsored. I just like to find good stuff and share them with you.)

My children’s school doesn’t allow food to be passed out, but if your school allows it, I thought it would be fun to pass out candy like Hi-Chew, interesting-flavored Kit-Kats, or little packs of Konpeito (Amazon Associate links). I have seen some of these foods being sold at World Market, and of course at Asian grocery stores.

Aren’t these little bags of konpeito so cute? $9.99 for 50 packs!

I am sure you all could come up with some Japan-inspired Valentine’s Box ideas as well. What have you done in the past, and what do you plan to do this year? I would love to hear.

 

 

Gifts for the Pokemon Go! Fanatic

 

Never in a million years would I have guessed that my family would be addicted to a Pokemon app on the phone. My kids have never even seen the TV show (and neither have I) but we downloaded the game (Pokemon Go!) to see what all the fuss was about and… we love it. Most electronic games tend to isolate individuals but we have found that our family has bonded over hunting for Pokemon. We have visited many parks and attractions in our city and have walked more than usual! My 6-year old son will talk your ear off about Pokemon Go! if you will let him. I have never seen him so passionate about something, lol. I am thinking we might have to dress up as Pokemon for Halloween, haha!

Thinking ahead to back-to-school shopping, birthday gifts, and holidays, I already have some Pokemon-related gift ideas for my kids. I added some of these things to my Amazon Store. Take a peek if you also have a Pokemon fanatic in your life! Here are some of the items I’m considering purchasing:

Pokemon Colored Pencils, 24-Pack

We have some other colored pencils by Showa Note and they are very high-quality (much better than the generic kinds you find in the stores here!). They come in a durable tin container.

Pokemon Furikake (rice seasoning)

My kids LOVE furikake on their rice. I love these individual-sized packs. They’re perfect for including in bento lunches.

 

Pokemon Name Stickers

I use these every year for labeling all my kids’ back-to-school supplies. They’re great for pencil boxes, water bottles, notebooks, etc.

 

Pokemon Opposites Card Game

This game will teach children hantai-kotoba (opposites), in Japanese. Looks cute! I need all the help I can get in the teaching-vocabulary department.

 

Pokemon Chopsticks-Spoon-Fork Set

I love these things. They are the perfect size for little kids. No more using disposable utensils for lunch boxes! And at just $5, a great price.

 

Pokemon Deluxe Essential Handbook

I know my son would eat this book right up.

 

Pokemon Japanese-Style Pencil Box

I loved these pencil boxes when I was little. They have a magnetic closure and hold pencils, erasers, etc securely inside.

Pokemon Hat

Just cute for your Pokemon-lover!

 

Lots MORE Pokemon gift ideas at my store!

I am an Amazon Affiliate and will receive a small percentage of each purchase. ありがとう!

My Amazon Store also has Japanese School Supplies, Japanese Food, Books, etc!

 

Japan-Inspired Gift Ideas!

Recently, I frequently find myself gifting Japan-related things! For example, my daughter took a bag full of Japanese candy for a birthday party. For Christmas, my older kids are getting a Yokai Watch DVD set and my toddler is getting a Mel-chan doll. It is a good way to be unique! Here are some gift ideas for the Japan-lovers in your life:

Melissa and Doug Sushi Slicing Set (a fun alternative to “traditional” food!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kendama Toy (great for all ages!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vive Le Color! Japan Coloring Book for Adults

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yakusen Bath Roman Bath Salts (Japanese bath salts are sooo relaxing)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making Tape Gift Box (the mt brand from Japan is simply the best. I use it for everything!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mitsubishi 100 Colors Colored Pencil Box (my kids have this set and it is awesome. Every color you could ever want, durable, and the color glides onto paper so smoothly)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nintendo Hanafuda Card Game (great for older kids, teens and adults)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yokai Watch Karuta (for your Yokai Watch fanatic)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kracie Pop N Cookin Candies (oh so-unhealthy but so fun to make and eat)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pack of Japanese Snacks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Uncle Goose Hiragana Wood Blocks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go to my online Amazon store to see more ideas!!

Kodomo Challenge Live!こどもちゃれんじライブ授業

Just discovered a new TV series by Kodomo Challenge called “こどもちゃれんじライブ授業“, where children can explore many different things like various occupations, yoga, English, animals, etc. The episodes are shown “live” (children in Japan who own the Kodomo Challenge Tablet can participate in the show as they watch).  In Japan, the show is on every Saturday morning. I’m not sure if it’s viewable on any TV stations elsewhere. Here are two YouTube videos I found. The first is an episode exploring a Japanese bakery, and the second is about the mysteries of animals. Enjoy!

 

BONUS Kodomo Challenge Videos, “ともだちできたよ”, “はじめましてこんにちは”, and “リトミック／ダンス”. Watch them quick 🙂 Sometimes they get taken down after awhile.

Anpanman Cake Pops ♥

Over the 4th of July weekend, I went to a BBQ with my family. Several Japanese families joined us. My sister’s contribution to the potluck BBQ were these adorable Anpanman cake pops! They were a huge hit with the kids. You can visit Bakerella.com’s website for basic instructions on how to make cake pops. To make these Anpanman pops, my sister used chocolate cake mix, meltable butterscotch chocolates, round red sprinkles, and a black edible pen.

 

Imagine the possibilities with all of the Anpanman characters (Baikinman, Melonpanna-chan, etc). Cuteness overload.

Do you love Anpanman? Read my post about my son’s Anpanman-themed birthday party HERE, or about our trip to the Anpanman Children’s Museum, HERE!

 

Olympics ♥

I love love love love love the Olympics. I am not much of a TV-watcher, but for two weeks during the Olympics, I lose a lot of sleep due to staying up late trying to watch as much as I can! When I was a college student back in the day, I had the opportunity to volunteer as an assistant to the Japanese Team during the Salt Lake Olympics. My job included driving members of the team to various events and other places, translation, and general assistance. I often worked inside the Olympic Village and had to try hard to control the urge to not take pictures or ask for autographs when I saw Michelle Kwan, Apolo Anton Ohno, etc. If the Olympics ever come to you, I highly recommend volunteering!

One of my blog readers requested that I post some links about the Olympics and here’s what I’ve gathered so far :).

1) Official Website for the Japanese Olympic Committee: http://www.joc.or.jp/english/

Go here to see the names of all the different events in Japanese: http://www.joc.or.jp/games/olympic/sochi/sports/

2) A great summary of the Sochi Olympics for children (in Japanese), by Yahoo Kids: http://topic.kids.yahoo.co.jp/article/sochi_olympic/

3) “What is the Olympics?” for children, in Japanese (with furigana): http://www.lib.adachi.tokyo.jp/kids/toshokann/siraberu/siraberu_back/sirabveru0807.html

4) Q&A with future Japanese Olympians, also by Yahoo Kids: http://topic.kids.yahoo.co.jp/mag/olympic2020/

Japanese figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, the Japanese athlete that has probably received the most screen time (I think he is amazing!):

As most of you already know, Japan is hosting the 2020 Olympics. If you are able, GO! Japan always does an incredible job hosting big events, public transportation is awesome, and uh… what’s not to love about visiting Japan? If you can’t get tickets to the regular games, I recommend the Paralympic Games too. I’ve been to a Paralympics Ice Hockey game, and it was incredible.

Look at this adorable bento box that Shirley of Little Miss Bento made! My kids would love it if I made them bento that looked this cute (and yummy).

What events and athletes have you been following?

Things To Do In Japan With Kids: Visit Kyoto

I’m itching to visit Japan again. Oh how I wish I could be one of those people who can go every year! I was looking through our Japan Trip 2012 pictures and realized I never shared pictures from our day in Kyoto.

Kyoto would be a wonderful place to visit as a couple, by yourself, or with friends… but it is also very kid-friendly. There are many things to see and do and it is very walkable. Not to mention just GORGEOUS! You can’t fly all the way to Japan and NOT see Kyoto. We only had one day to spend in Kyoto, so we went to see Kiyomizudera and the surrounding area.

(not super stroller-friendly)

If you visit Kyoto, be prepared to eat a lot of delicious food and buy beautiful souvenirs.

Would you pay a thousand dollars for this Totoro stuffed animal?

Kyoto is one of my favorite places in Japan to visit. Next time, I would love to spend several days there… perhaps in the fall to see the 紅葉 (leaves changing colors).

I’m going to start saving my pennies so we can go to Japan again! Does anyone in Japan want to offer my non-Japanese speaking husband a job? LOL.

DIY Training Chopsticks (トレーニングはし)

Recently, we took the kids to a Japanese restaurant, where they ordered a bowl of ramen. I was delighted when the waitress brought them some training chopsticks. As I studied the chopsticks, I realized it is super easy to make yourself! It took me a few tries to get the tension just right, but it WAS really easy. So the next time you go out to eat at an Asian restaurant, just take along a rubberband (or hair tie) and you are ready to make your own training chopsticks in just a few minutes!

I made you a short video so you can see exactly how it’s done:

After I published my video, I saw that a few others have made similar videos. You can watch them all to see which technique works best for you 😉

Please share with your friends who have children, or adults who have yet to master the art of using chopsticks!

*****

P.S. Eating Japanese food with a fork is silly. Learn to use chopsticks! (past post about training chopsticks here)

Click HERE and scroll down to see how to use real chopsticks.