How to make Takoyaki: a delicious Japanese snack from Osaka

Takoyaki is a well-known Japanese snack consisting of dough balls filled with octopus. It originated in the Kansai region of Japan, specifically in the city of Osaka, during the 1930s. It was created by a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo. Since then, it has become a favorite across the country, and is commonly found at festivals and street stalls.

This appetizer is served hot and is usually placed on a plate or wooden tray. It is usually topped with various ingredients that add flavor and texture:

• Takoyaki: a thick, sweet sauce, similar to Worcestershire sauce.
• Mayonnaise: sprayed on top in the form of lines.
• Katsuobushi: thin slices of dried bonito, which move slightly with the heat of the Takoyaki.
• Aonori: green algae powder sprinkled on top.

It is eaten using wooden chopsticks or skewers. Although they are small bites, they are usually very hot inside, so it is advisable to blow on them a little before eating.

How to prepare Takoyaki at home

Ingredients

For the mass:

• 1 cup of wheat flour
• 2 cups dashi broth
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• 100 grams of cooked octopus, cut into small pieces
• 2 green onions, chopped
• Pickled ginger (beni shoga), finely chopped
• Tenkasu (tempura crujient)

For coverage:

• Takoyaki
• Mayonnaise
• Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• Aonori (green algae powder)

1. Prepare the dough:
   • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, dashi broth, eggs, soy sauce and salt until smooth and runny.
2. Heat the Takoyaki griddle:
   • Heat a Takoyaki griddle and lightly coat each mold with oil.
3. Pour the batter:
   • Pour the batter into each mold, filling them to the brim. The batter may spill over a little, but that’s normal.
4. Add the filling:
   • Place a piece of octopus in each mold and then add some chopped green onion, pickled ginger and tenkasu.
5. Cook and turn:
   • Cook the Takoyaki until the bottom begins to turn golden brown. Use a skewer or chopstick to rotate the balls 90 degrees so that the raw batter spills into the mold and forms a sphere. Continue rotating until the balls are completely golden brown and crispy on the outside.
6. Serve:
   • Place the takoyaki balls on a plate or tray. Drizzle with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise in diagonal lines. Sprinkle with katsuobushi and aonori.

Additional Tips:

• Hot dashi: If you don’t have dashi broth, you can use water with a little fish broth powder as a substitute.
• Takoyaki Grill: If you don’t have a special Takoyaki iron, you can try using a cake pop iron, although results may vary.