Takoyaki(たこ焼き / タコ焼き) is a Japanese snack made of batter with pieces of octopus cooked in round balls.

Originally from Osaka, takoyaki is popular in Kansai cuisine as well as throughout Japan. It is an iconic Osaka street food. It is also popular in Taiwan, often found at night markets.

Takoyaki batter is typically made of flour, dashi, egg, and soy sauce. Sometimes baking powder or other ingredients are added.

Octopus(タコ tako) is the main filling, chopped into pieces. A variety known as madako(マダコ) is most common. Scallion and pickled ginger(紅生姜 benishoga) are usually added too. Sometimes additional ingredients are added like powdered bonito flakes(鰹節 katsuobushi) and tempura bits(天かす tenkasu). Variations can be made by replacing octopus with other ingredients.

Takoyaki is often topped with a special takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes, and aonori(青海苔). Takoyaki sauce is generally made from ingredients like soy sauce, mirin, worcestershire sauce, ketchup. A simple recipe with more traditional ingredients follows. Similar sauces, like okonomiyaki sauce and yakisoba sauce, can substitute for takoyaki sauce.

A takoyaki pan or grill with small rounded holes gives takoyaki their round shape. Another type of pan with rounded holes may work as a substitute.

Takoyaki is usually flipped and turned with a skewer.

Takoyaki Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp mirin(みりん)
• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 piece dried kelp(昆布 konbu) or 4 tbsp bonito flake(鰹節 katsuobushi)

Directions

• heat mirin, soy sauce, vinegar until steaming
• add konbu
• simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes
• let cool
• serve or store

Takoyaki(たこ焼き / タコ焼き) Recipe

makes about 4 servings or 24 pieces

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose wheat flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 – 2 egg
• 2 cup kelp dashi(昆布だし) or bonito dashi(かつおだし)
• 1 tsp dark soy sauce
• ½ lb octopus, cleaned and boiled and chopped
• 2 tbsp pickled ginger(紅生姜 benishoga), minced [substitute fresh young ginger]
• 2 scallion, finely chopped
• takoyaki sauce
• mayonnaise (optional)
• bonito flake(鰹節 katsuobushi) (optional)
• aonori(青海苔) (optional)

Directions

• combine flour, salt
• mix in egg, dashi, soy sauce
• pour into greased takoyaki pan
• to each hole add octopus, ginger, scallion
• cook until slightly crisped
• add batter if shallow and flip each ball
• continue cooking, turning each ball until fully cooked, 2 to 5 minutes
• transfer to serving dish
• garnish with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flake, aonori
• serve