Taste Japan's Street Food Delights
A beloved Japanese street food, these crispy-on-the-outside, gooey-on-the-inside spheres are filled with tender octopus, ginger, and green onion, topped with savory sauces and bonito flakes.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 2 cups dashi stock cold
- 1 large egg beaten
- 8 oz cooked octopus diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 0.25 cup green onions finely chopped
- 2 tbsp beni shoga red pickled ginger
- some vegetable oil for greasing
- to taste Takoyaki sauce
- to taste Japanese mayonnaise
- to taste bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
- to taste aonori (dried green seaweed)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the cold dashi stock and beaten egg, mixing until you have a smooth batter.
- Heat a takoyaki pan over medium-high heat and brush each mold generously with vegetable oil.
- Pour the batter into each mold until it slightly overflows. Immediately add a piece or two of diced octopus, some green onions, and beni shoga to each mold.
- After 2-3 minutes, once the edges of the batter firm up, use a takoyaki pick or skewer to break the overflowing batter between the molds and push the edges into the center of the balls.
- Carefully turn each ball 90 degrees. Pour a little more batter over the semi-cooked sides if there are gaps, then continue turning them 90 degrees until they form perfect spheres.
- Continue cooking and turning for another 5-7 minutes until the takoyaki are golden brown and crispy on the outside, and cooked through.
- Transfer the takoyaki to a plate. Drizzle generously with takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise.
- Sprinkle with bonito flakes and aonori before serving immediately.
Notes
Use a well-seasoned takoyaki pan for best results. If you don't have octopus, shrimp, or cheese can be a substitute. Serve immediately for the best texture. You can find ready-made takoyaki flour for convenience.