Takoyaki are appetizers prepared with octopus and a tasty batter, typical of Japanese cuisine. Visually they resemble small round meatballs. It is a very popular snack in the Land of the Rising Sun that abounds both on the stalls of street vendors and in supermarkets and restaurants. Dashi (the fish broth at the base of miso soup) is used to make the batter, which is also why takoyaki are so good. Generally they are served with a typical sauce and a spicy mayonnaise. To prepare this recipe you need to have some specific Japanese ingredients; you can find them in stores specializing in the sale of Asian foods or online.
Ingrediants
Takoyaki
- 100-150 g of cooked octopus
- 20 g of katsuobushi
- 100 g of flour 00
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of kombucha powder
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon of soy sauce
- 400ml dashi broth
- 75 g spring onion, finely chopped
- 25 g of tenkasu
Takoyaki sauce
- 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of mentsuyu sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of ketchup
Spicy Japanese Style Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of Japanese garlic hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of wine vinegar
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Making the Takoyaki Batter
Step 1. Prepare the octopus if you bought it fresh rather than boiled
You can buy it at a fish shop, supermarket or even in stores that sell Asian foods.
- First you need to boil the octopus in boiling water or broth.
- Allow about 13 minutes of cooking for every 450 g of octopus.
- Let the octopus cool in the liquid you cooked it in.
- When it is cold, remove the skin by wiping with a paper towel. It should come off easily.
- After removing the skin, brown the octopus in a pan or griddle for about 8 minutes on each side. This step serves to seal the meat. If you cut it into small pieces, cook it for only 2 minutes per side.
Step 2. Chop the octopus
You need a cutting board and a sharp knife. The list of ingredients indicates that 100-150g of pre-cooked octopus is needed, but the quantity can vary according to your personal tastes.
- Cut the octopus into small pieces. Most recipes recommend cutting it into cubes no larger than an inch.
- The octopus pieces must be small, so that each meatball can contain many.
- Once ready, transfer them to a large bowl and set aside.
Step 3. Grind some katsuobushi flakes
You need to get a fine powder. Katsuobushi is a very important ingredient in Japanese cuisine: it is dried and grated flaked tuna fillets.
- You can grind the flakes using a food processor.
- Alternatively, you can grind them to a powder using a pestle and mortar.
- If you have an electric spice mill available, it may be the ideal choice.
Step 4. Combine the dry ingredients required by the recipe
They include flour, kombucha powder, and dry yeast.
- Pour the three ingredients into a medium-sized bowl.
- Mix them with a whisk to mix them evenly.
- Remember that if they are not mixed properly, lumps of yeast may form in the batter. If so, those parts of the batter will have an unpleasant taste.
Step 5. Beat the eggs with the addition of a teaspoon of soy sauce
Make sure you've done a good job before continuing.
- Pour the beaten eggs into the flour, kombucha powder, and baking powder mixture.
- Mix all the ingredients together with the whisk.
- Keep stirring until the eggs are perfectly blended with the dry ingredients.
Step 6. Add dashi gradually, little by little
Keep stirring with the whisk as you pour it into the bowl, to get a smooth and even batter.
- The batter should reach a degree of consistency and density similar to that of pancake dough.
- If it feels too runny, add a little more flour and mix to distribute it evenly.
- If it feels too thick, add a small amount of broth and stir to soften it.
Part 2 of 3: Cooking the Takoyaki
Step 1. Heat the pan to make the takoyaki over medium-high heat
The meatballs must be cooked quickly on the outside, but without the risk of burning.
- A metal pan that looks like a muffin pan is used to make takoyaki. In fact, it has numerous round cavities that serve to accommodate meatballs.
- If you don't have this type of pan, you can use a metal mini-muffin pan.
- Brush the pan with a generous amount of oil.
- Use a kitchen brush. Be very careful when using hot oil on a hot pan.
- Don't forget to grease the parts that separate one cavity from the other as well.
Step 2. Wait until you see that the oil starts to smoke
Then pour the batter into the pan trying to completely fill the holes.
- It is normal for the batter to overflow slightly from the cavities.
- Before you start pouring the batter, transfer it to a dispenser with a handle and spout to make it a little easier.
- Use the right tools to pour the batter only where it is needed and avoid soiling the surrounding surfaces.
Step 3. Add the octopus, spring onion, tenkasu and pulverized katsuobushi to the pan
Place 3 pieces of octopus in each cavity.
- Sprinkle the chopped spring onion over the octopus.
- Now add the tenkasu and katsuobushi powder as well.
- Now you have to wait for the takoyaki to turn a nice golden color.
- If you like the flavor of red ginger (Beni shōga in Japanese language), you can add two tablespoons of it by spreading them over the batter.
Step 4. Set the kitchen timer
It will take about 3 minutes for the base of the takoyaki to turn golden.
- Do not turn and touch the takoyaki during these 3 minutes.
- Let them cook until the timer runs out.
- When the time is up, flip the takoyaki.
Step 5. You will probably have to break the batter that has overflowed to be able to turn the meatballs
If the takoyaki are sticking together, separate them by breaking the batter with a long wooden skewer.
- Turn each meatball 180 degrees so that the cooked half is facing up.
- Try to shape them as you twist them, so they have a nice rounded shape. The best method is to push the batter too far to the bottom of the cavities, so that it takes on the correct shape as it cooks.
- Use two wooden skewers to turn the takoyaki and try to correct the shape, so you don't run the risk of burning yourself.
Step 6. Set the kitchen timer again
This time it will take 4 minutes of cooking. Don't stray from the stove, because once the bottom half of the meatballs are golden brown, you'll need to turn them frequently to make sure they cook evenly.
- Check that the sides are equally cooked and browned.
- When cooked, the takoyaki should have a nice uniform golden color.
- When the timer rings, it's time to serve the takoyaki.
Step 7. Transfer the meatballs to a plate
Do this using the two wooden skewers as they will be hot. At this point you can add the sauces.
- Pour the takoyaki sauce and spicy mayonnaise over the octopus meatballs.
- If you want, you can decorate the dish with dried seaweed and katsuobushi flakes.
- Serve immediately, but warn diners that the takoyaki will be hot inside.
Part 3 of 3: Making the Takoyaki Sauces
Step 1. Make the takoyaki sauce
It is a very simple process involving only four key ingredients.
- Pour the Worcestershire sauce, mentsuyu sauce, sugar and ketchup into a small bowl.
- Stir with the whisk to combine.
- Spread the sauce you made over the takoyaki.
- If you want to prepare this sauce in advance, then store it in the refrigerator.
Step 2. Make the spicy mayonnaise
All you need is some classic mayonnaise and some ingredients that allow you to make it even tastier.
- First, pour 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise into a bowl.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon juice, a tablespoon of hot garlic sauce and half a teaspoon of rice vinegar.
- Stir with the whisk to combine.
- Spread the sauce over the takoyaki or refrigerate until ready to use.
