こんにちは! Konnichiwa! I am happy to share my first Japanese recipe with you. Granted, there have been so many food tests lately, it was hard to single one out but I thought I’d share one where I actually participated (or mostly documented) the making of. And this is one for all the seafood lovers out there. I am certainly not and a vegetarian version had to me made especially for me. Everything works – if you make it work, that is.
Takoyaki (たこ焼き)) are literally fried octopi, but essentially dough balls with a piece of octopus in it. If that thrills you as much as me, then leave the pieces out or replace them with any kind of vegetable, such as corn. Regarding its origin, the little balls came from Osaka around1935 and is now a very popular food all over the country.
What You Need
,
- 3.5 – 5 oz (100 – 145g) octopus (cooked)
- ¼ cup (4g) katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and more for garnish
- 1 cup (5.3 oz/150g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. konbucha (or ½ tsp. salt)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp. soy sauce
- 1⅔ cup dashi stock
- ½ cup finely chopped green onion or pickled red ginger
- ⅓ cup Tenkasu (tempura scraps)
Optional Topping - Dried green seaweed (Aonori)
- Takoyaki Sauce or Tonkatsu sauce
- Japanese mayonnaise
Here’s How to
Cut the octopus (or veggies) into small pieces that fit into the dough balls later on. Put aside and grind the flakes into fine powder and put aside as well. Grab a bowl and add flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk through thoroughly and whisk eggs and soy sauce in another bowl as well, which you will add to the first mix. Whisk again.
Now heat the takoyaki pan (looks like a muffin pan, except that the holes are round and slighty smaller) over medium to high heat and oil it generously all over. We don’t want any sticky bits. Once the pan starts smoking, you know it’s ready to fill the tiny bowls with your mixture. Let everything set for 3 minutes and then add the octopus (or veggie) pieces and sprinkle with the green onion or ginger as well as the tenkasu and powdered katsuobushi.
After a couple of minutes, the balls are slightly hardened. Break the connected batter up so you can turn them 180 degrees within each bowl. This takes some practice and best use some (takoyaki) picks or skewers to do this. When you turn, make sure you push in the edges to make round. Let it set for another 4 minutes and keep turning constantly. After all this, put the balls onto a plate and decorate with takoyaki saue and mayo in a net pattern. Serve as is or sprinkle the dried seaweed and katsuobushi on top. Serve hot and enjoy (take care, the middle is boiling). いただきます!
Original recipe found on: Just One CookBook
