Spicy Takoyaki
辛いたこ焼き
Preparation time
20
mins
Cooking time
10
mins
Serves
4-6
Difficulty
Medium
Takoyaki was first popularised in Osaka,where a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo is credited with its invention in 1935. Takoyaki was inspired by akashiyaki, a small round dumpling from the city of Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture made of an egg-rich batter and octopus.Takoyaki was initially popular in the Kansai region, and later spread to the Kantō region and other areas of Japan. Takoyaki is associated with yatai street food stalls, and there are many well-established takoyaki speciality restaurants, particularly in the Kansai region. Takoyaki is now sold at commercial outlets, such as supermarkets and 24-hour convenience stores.
ref: [wiki]
Method
- Start by creating the batter. In to a large bowl and mix together 4 eggs, 400g of flour, 900ml of water and a little dashi stock. Set this aside. If you have the ready-made okonomiyaki flour, follow the directions for making the batter.
- If using a gas stove, place your takoyaki plate on the stove on medium heat and heat up a small amount of oil in each hole.
If using an electric takoyaki plate. Follow the the heating procedure as per the instructions. It is usually just a Case of switching it on. (Easy) - Fill up each hole with the batter mix, allowing just enough batter to spread across the plate.
- Now you can add the chopped octopus, spring onion, jalapeños and tempura flakes to each hole. The amount you add is up to you, but only a small amount of each will give enough flavour.
- Once the takoyaki are about half cooked, about 1-2 minutes, you will need to flip them over. The best way to do this is to use a small wooden skewer to poke the outside of the batter and flip it over within the hole. This takes a bit of practice to get done smoothly. At first it can be messy, but fun.
- You can usually only flip each takoyaki about three quarters of the way round so allow it to cook a little more before flipping it again. By now, all your takoyaki should be round so keep rotating them in the holes to make sure that they cook evenly on all sides. This will take about 3-4 minutes until golden brown on the outside.
- Place a few takoyaki on a plate and smother them with loads of takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Then sprinkle a bit of powdered seaweed and some bonito flakes on top and enjoy. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy hot.
Tips:
When putting the oil in the holes of the pan, a small silicone brush works well. Though, in Japan some restaurants/bars use cotton wool or kitchen paper, used with chopsticks.
When adding more mix to the plate you will need to give it a quick stir first.
Try not to be to hasty when turning the balls. It is good to let the mixture thicken up under the heat of the pan for about 2 minutes.
batter:
400g Plainflour
4 Eggs
900ml Water
Pinch of dashi stock powder
Alt:
Okonomiyaki Mix
fillings:
200g Fresh boiled octopus, chopped
6 Spring onions, chopped
Alt:
Tuna
Smoked salmon
Prawns
Bacon
Cheese
House favourite is chorizo
Jalapeño give takoyaki that great kick if you like a bit of heat
toppings:
Takoyaki sauce
Japanese mayonnaise
Powdered seaweed (or aonori)
Katsuobushi bonito flakes
- Start by creating the batter. In to a large bowl and mix together 4 eggs, 400g of flour, 900ml of water and a little dashi stock. Set this aside. If you have the ready-made okonomiyaki flour, follow the directions for making the batter.
- If using a gas stove, place your takoyaki plate on the stove on medium heat and heat up a small amount of oil in each hole.
If using an electric takoyaki plate. Follow the the heating procedure as per the instructions. It is usually just a Case of switching it on. (Easy) - Fill up each hole with the batter mix, allowing just enough batter to spread across the plate.
- Now you can add the chopped octopus, spring onion, jalapeños and tempura flakes to each hole. The amount you add is up to you, but only a small amount of each will give enough flavour.
- Once the takoyaki are about half cooked, about 1-2 minutes, you will need to flip them over. The best way to do this is to use a small wooden skewer to poke the outside of the batter and flip it over within the hole. This takes a bit of practice to get done smoothly. At first it can be messy, but fun.
- You can usually only flip each takoyaki about three quarters of the way round so allow it to cook a little more before flipping it again. By now, all your takoyaki should be round so keep rotating them in the holes to make sure that they cook evenly on all sides. This will take about 3-4 minutes until golden brown on the outside.
- Place a few takoyaki on a plate and smother them with loads of takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Then sprinkle a bit of powdered seaweed and some bonito flakes on top and enjoy. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy hot.
Tips:
When putting the oil in the holes of the pan, a small silicone brush works well. Though, in Japan some restaurants/bars use cotton wool or kitchen paper, used with chopsticks.
When adding more mix to the plate you will need to give it a quick stir first.
Try not to be to hasty when turning the balls. It is good to let the mixture thicken up under the heat of the pan for about 2 minutes.
Nutritional Information
Per Takoyaki ball (depending on filling)
Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 4.2g