Oiling swells generously
Oil not only prevents adhesion, but also enables the uniformly browned, movable outer skin of the balls.
Japanese Recipe
Takoyaki
A thin dashi dough fills the hollows of the Takoyaki pan completely. By gradually turning, protruding dough and inserts are formed into a round ball.
Total time
55 min
Calories
480 kcal
Servings
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Why this recipe works
Osaka's octopus dough balls from a special pan
Takoyaki are among the most famous street food dishes from Osaka. Despite the name, they remain considerably softer inside than a pancake. To make the spherical shape, you need a Takoyaki pan with round hollows and some practice in turning. The octopus is already cooked; all you need is for the dough to set and develop a golden brown shell.
Lunch
Dinner
Japanese Recipes
Seafood
Recipe
Takoyaki
Takoyaki are brown outside, soft inside balls of Osaka dough with cooked octopus, spring onions, beni shoga and crispy tenkasu.
Ingredients
4 servings
Method
-
1
Stir in the thin dough
Mix flour and baking powder. Mix eggs, cold dashi and soy sauce, work in flour briefly and let the liquid dough rest for 10 minutes.
-
2
Heat pan vigorously
Preheat the Takoyaki pan over a medium-high heat. Generously brush each hollow and the areas in between with oil.
-
3
Filling the troughs completely
Pour the dough into all hollows until the edges. Add one piece of octopus and sprinkle tenkasu, beni shoga and spring onions over the entire surface.
-
4
Separate the dough into fields
After about 2 minutes, divide the dough into individual squares between the hollows using two skewers. First, turn each portion by about 90 degrees.
-
5
Shaping balls gradually
Push the protruding dough and loose inserts into the hollows. Continue to rotate the balls a little bit until a closed round shape is formed.
-
6
Cook until golden brown all around.
Turn the Takoyaki for another 5 to 7 minutes and add a little oil if necessary. You are ready when the outside is browned and stable, but the inside is still soft.
-
7
Classic garnish
Cover Takoyaki immediately with sauce and mayonnaise. Sprinkle over the Aonori and Katsuobushi and allow to cool briefly before the first bite.
Kitchen know-how
Tips for Takoyaki
Turn early only quarterly
The first time you turn the dough, it is still soft, and several small movements absorb the excess dough to make rounder takoyaki.
Variations
How to adapt this recipe
Replace the octopus with small pieces of fully cooked prawns, the texture will be softer, the technique in the pan will remain the same.
Omit katsuobushi and use more Aonori and finely sliced spring onions for a strong finish.
Nutrition per serving
480kcal
58.0 gCarbohydrates
24.0 gProtein
18.0 gFat
Values are estimates and may vary depending on the ingredients, brands, portion size and preparation method used.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about Takoyaki
For the typical spherical shape, yes. A cake pop pan can work, but it must be directly heated and usually allows less control when turning.
Takoyaki is intentionally creamy inside, but the dough must be fully heated; the octopus used is already cooked and is only heated.
Tenkasu are small, crispy leftovers of deep-fried tempura dough. They give the inside flavour and some structure and are available in the Asian shop.
The pan and oil were usually not hot enough or the hollows were oiled too sparingly, and only turn when a stable skin has formed on the edge.
They taste best fresh. Heat the leftovers in the oven at 200 ° C for about 8 minutes; the shell will soften in the microwave.
Keep cooking