Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)

🧂Ingredients

Click any ingredient to explore its profile, pairings, and related recipes.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour(For the takoyaki batter base.)
  →
• 2 large eggs(At room temperature.)
  →
• 2 cups dashi stock(Cool dashi, for a light and savory batter.)
  →
• 1 tbsp soy sauce(For seasoning the batter.)
  →
• 100 g cooked octopus (tako)(Boiled and cut into 1 cm cubes.)
  →
• 2 stalks scallions(Finely sliced.)
  →
• 2 tbsp tenkasu (tempura scraps)(For internal crunch.)
  →
• 2 tbsp beni shoga (pickled red ginger)(Minced, for flavor inside the ball.)
  →
• 3 tbsp takoyaki sauce(Similar to okonomiyaki sauce.)
  →
• 2 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise(For drizzling.)
  →
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil(For the takoyaki pan.)
  →

📝Instructions

Highlighted techniques open a deep-dive. Time phrases include a built-in timer.

1. 1

   The Batter. Whisk together flour, eggs, dashi, and soy sauce until the batter is completely smooth and slightly thinner than pancake batter.

2. 2

   The Pan. Heat the takoyaki pan over medium-high heat. Brush every mold generously with oil.

3. 3

   The Fill. Pour the batter into the molds, filling them to slightly overflowing. Immediately add a cube of octopus, a pinch of tenkasu, some scallion, and beni shoga into each mold.

4. 4

   The Flip. When the base of each ball is set and golden (about 3 minutes 3 minutes), use two metal skewers to rotate each ball exactly 90 degrees. The uncooked batter will flow down into the mold, forming the new outer shell. Repeat the turn to reach a full 360 degrees, building up a perfectly round sphere.

5. 5

   The Dress. Transfer the golden, crisp takoyaki to a plate. Apply takoyaki sauce with a brush, then drizzle mayonnaise over the top. Sprinkle with aonori and add a pinch of katsuobushi, which will wave from the heat.