Crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside, Takoyaki is a representative dish of Osaka, Japan. You can enjoy a concentrated umami flavor from the dashi broth in each ball.
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What is Takoyaki?
Takoyaki is a dish in which a batter made from wheat flour, beaten eggs, and dashi broth is cooked on a dedicated iron plate (takoyaki maker) with octopus pieces, forming into balls. "Tako" means octopus, and "yaki" refers to grilling or cooking. By using a takoyaki maker with many round, hollowed-out cavities, the batter can be cooked into a ball shape, trapping octopus broth inside each ball and achieving a crispy outside and a creamy inside.
While some readers may think of eating takoyaki with takoyaki sauce, my personal recommendation is definitely without takoyaki sauce. This is because takoyaki with rich dashi allows you to enjoy the flavors of the ingredients even more. In this recipe, you have the option to use sauce or not.
This recipe is a special one that I learned from a takoyaki shop owner a long time ago. It has received high praise from everyone I have ever served it to, and it is a recipe that I have been using for over twenty years now.
Common ingredients
The common ingredients for takoyaki and their characteristics are as follows:
- Boiled octopus
It is an essential ingredient of takoyaki, providing a chewy texture and flavorful broth.
- Green onions (scallions)
They add texture and color to takoyaki. Usually, they are added to the batter, but recently they have sometimes also been served on top of takoyaki.
- Beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
It adds spiciness, acidity, and color to takoyaki. If beni shoga is not available, you can substitute it with regular ginger.
- Tenkasu (tempura bits)
They are indispensable for takoyaki. They add richness to the flavor and make the texture crispy.
Is octopus essential?
Takoyaki cannot be made without octopus. While you can enjoy a takoyaki-like dish by using alternative ingredients such as beef tendon, konjac, sausages, and cheese, that dish would not be considered takoyaki.
By the way, if you use beef tendon and konjac as ingredients, it is called "Radio Yaki" instead of takoyaki. Radio yaki is an older version of takoyaki and shares everything in common except for the use of octopus, so it can be made with the same ingredients and preparation method.
As toppings
When takoyaki batter is seasoned with soy sauce and served without takoyaki sauce, toppings are generally unnecessary. However, if you choose to enjoy it with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, aonori (dried green seaweed flakes), and bonito flakes (katsuobushi) are often used as toppings. These are all optional, so you can add them according to your preference.
Takoyaki maker guide
The biggest drawback to making takoyaki by yourself is that you need to have a takoyaki maker. While you can cook takoyaki batter in a pan and still enjoy the taste, you will not be able to replicate the unique texture of authentic takoyaki.
Therefore, to make takoyaki at home, you need to purchase a takoyaki maker. You can find one on Amazon or other online stores, so I encourage you to buy one and give it a try at home.
Ingredients
- 3 oz. (85g) boiled octopus
- 6 green onions / scallions (⅓ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
- 1 Tbsp beni shoga (red pickled ginger) (⅛ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
- 4 Tbsp tenkasu (tempura bits) (½ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
Takoyaki batter:
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp soy sauce (If you are using takoyaki sauce, reduce the amount by half.)
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) chilled bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article.)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅗ cup (2.5 oz./70g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
Toppings (optional):
- takoyaki sauce
- Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie Mayo)
- aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)
- shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
Step-by-step instructions
🕒 Total 25 mins
Step 1
Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces, about 0.4 inch (1cm) wide. Thinly slice the green onions. Finely chop the beni shoga.
Step 2
Crack the egg into a large bowl and beat it. In the bowl, add sugar, salt, soy sauce, dashi, and baking powder, and mix everything together. Next, gradually add flour in multiple portions, whisking thoroughly each time to prevent lumps from forming. The takoyaki batter is ready.
Step 3
Preheat the takoyaki maker to high heat (392°F/200°C or above). Pour oil into a small bowl and soak a folded paper towel in it. Use the soaked towel to thoroughly coat all of the cavities and the flat surface on top of the takoyaki maker with oil.
Step 4
When smoke comes out from the takoyaki maker, pour the takoyaki batter into each cavity. Next, add chopped octopus to each cavity. It's okay if the takoyaki batter overflows from the cavities during this process.
Step 5
Then, sprinkle the tenkasu, green onions, and beni shoga evenly over each cavity. Wait until the batter on the side walls of each cavity set.
Step 6
Cut the batter on the top flat surface between each cavity using a takoyaki pick or skewer. Then, flip the cooked portion of each cavity over about 90 degrees (a quarter turn).* Wait again until the uncooked portion of the batter is cooked through.
* If the batter on the side walls has set, you can flip it over by applying a bit of force with the pick or skewer. If it doesn't flip, cook it for a little longer. It doesn't matter if the batter tears slightly.
Step 7
Flip the batter over an additional 90 degrees to cook the remaining uncooked portion. Since the takoyaki maker might cook differently depending on the position of the cavities, if there are any lightly cooked balls, replace them with well-cooked ones.
Step 8
Turn each ball over to brown them evenly. If you want to keep them warm in the takoyaki maker, set it to a very low temperature.
Step 9
Serve them on each individual plate. If you enjoy them with sauce, top each takoyaki with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, aonori, and bonito flakes according to your preference.
To Store
You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a day.
Tips on how to make
- The dashi broth used in takoyaki batter should be chilled. Using chilled dashi reduces the activation of gluten in the flour, resulting in crispier takoyaki.
- When preparing takoyaki batter, mix the eggs and dashi broth, and then gradually add the flour in multiple portions. This will help prevent lumps from forming and make it less powdery. By the way, if the lumps are around 0.2 inch (5mm) in size, they will disappear over time, so you don't need to worry about them.
- Each cavity of the takoyaki maker should be well-coated with oil. This coating will prevent the takoyaki batter from sticking to it.
- Put the ingredients for takoyaki in the following order: octopus, tenkasu (tempura bits), and the remaining ingredients. Adding the octopus first allows the rich broth to emerge. Next, adding the tenkasu, which contains oil, makes it easier to cook the octopus.
- When flipping the takoyaki batter, it is recommended to turn each ball 90 degrees at a time rather than flipping them all at once. This allows the inside to reach a higher temperature quickly, resulting in a creamier texture.
Recipe Card
Takoyaki (Osaka's Octopus Balls)
Equipment
- Takoyaki maker
- takoyaki picks or skewers
Ingredients
- 3 oz. (85g) boiled octopus
- 6 green onions / scallions (⅓ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
- 1 Tbsp beni shoga (red pickled ginger) (⅛ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
- 4 Tbsp tenkasu (tempura bits) (½ tsp for each takoyaki ball)
Takoyaki batter:
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tsp soy sauce (If you are using takoyaki sauce, reduce the amount by half.)
- 1 ¼ cups (300ml) chilled bonito dashi (awase dashi) (For information on how to make bonito dashi and awase dashi, please refer to the linked article.)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ⅗ cup (2.5 oz./70g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
Toppings (optional):
- takoyaki sauce
- Japanese mayonnaise (such as Kewpie Mayo)
- aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)
- shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
Instructions
- Cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces, about 0.4 inch (1cm) wide. Thinly slice the green onions. Finely chop the beni shoga.
- Crack the egg into a large bowl and beat it. In the bowl, add sugar, salt, soy sauce, dashi, and baking powder, and mix everything together. Next, gradually add flour in multiple portions, whisking thoroughly each time to prevent lumps from forming. The takoyaki batter is ready.
- Preheat the takoyaki maker to high heat (392°F/200°C or above). Pour oil into a small bowl and soak a folded paper towel in it. Use the soaked towel to thoroughly coat all of the cavities and the flat surface on top of the takoyaki maker with oil.
- When smoke comes out from the takoyaki maker, pour the takoyaki batter into each cavity. Next, add chopped octopus to each cavity. It's okay if the takoyaki batter overflows from the cavities during this process.
- Then, sprinkle the tenkasu, green onions, and beni shoga evenly over each cavity. Wait until the batter on the side walls of each cavity set.
- Cut the batter on the top flat surface between each cavity using a takoyaki pick or skewer. Then, flip the cooked portion of each cavity over about 90 degrees (a quarter turn).* Wait again until the uncooked portion of the batter is cooked through.* If the batter on the side walls has set, you can flip it over by applying a bit of force with the pick or skewer. If it doesn't flip, cook it for a little longer. It doesn't matter if the batter tears slightly.
- Flip the batter over an additional 90 degrees to cook the remaining uncooked portion. Since the takoyaki maker might cook differently depending on the position of the cavities, if there are any lightly cooked balls, replace them with well-cooked ones.
- Turn each ball over to brown them evenly. If you want to keep them warm in the takoyaki maker, set it to a very low temperature.
- Serve them on each individual plate. If you enjoy them with sauce, top each takoyaki with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, aonori, and bonito flakes according to your preference.
Notes
- You can store it in the refrigerator for up to a day.
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