Takoyaki Recipe!

On this episode, I'm going to show you how to make Takotai! These are small balls of fried batter containing a small piece of Octopus. They're GREAT with Japanese beer or Sake!

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Takoyaki Recipe:

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup bonito flakes

• 2 green onions

• 1 Tbsp pickled red ginger

• 4.2 oz octopus sashimi (boiled octopus) or you can substitute with hot dogs, corn, or anything you like.

For the Batter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp Kosher salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 1½ cups dashi

• 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola oil

• ⅓ cup Panko or Tempura scraps

For the Toppings

• ½ cup takoyaki sauce

• Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise

• Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

• Seaweed flakes

• Pickled red ginger

Instructions:

1.) Gather, measure, and prep all the ingredients ahead of time. This will ensure a smooth cooking process.

2.) Make your batter by combining 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp kosher salt in a large mixing bowl and whisking to combine.

3.) Add your wet ingredients: 2 large eggs, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock) to the bowl and whisk until well blended (This will be a VERY wet batter).

4.) Transfer it to a handled measuring cup or any pitcher with a spout for easy pouring.

5.) From here, you're going to heat your Takoyaki pan over medium heat, or if it's electric, then turn it on and allow it to preheat to 400 degrees. Use a brush to spread the oil into all of the little chambers and then pour your batter to fill them.

6.) Sprinkle on top the chopped Octopus, the tempura flakes, green onions and red ginger and top with the rest of the batter.

8.) When the batter starts to bubble and you can see it firming up on the edges of the pan, start separating the batter into individual chambers. You'll need to turn the Takoyaki as you do this. It will take time and practice. Keep turning them until they are golden brown on the outside and still a little gooey on the inside.

9.) Once they are ready to go, transfer them to a plate and top them with a Takoyaki sauce, Kewpie Mayonnaise, bonito flakes, green seaweed and you are good to go!

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