Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

1. Cut the boiled octopus into pieces about 15mm in size.

2. [Batter]In a bowl, beat the eggs well, then add dashi(=Japanese soup stock), cake flour, and salt in that order. Mix by cutting through the mixture until the flour is fully incorporated.
Don't worry about any lumps; they will disappear after about 10 minutes.
Once the mixing is complete, transfer the batter to a measuring cup.

3. Preheat the takoyaki maker to 220℃ and lightly coat it with oil.

4. Drop a small amount of batter into each hole; when you hear a sizzling sound, quickly pour the batter into all the holes.
Ensure that the entire plate is filled with batter.
Since the flour tends to settle, mix the batter well before pouring.

5. Immediately add octopus pieces and sprinkle tenkasu(=deep fried dough) over the entire surface.

6. After about 1-2 minutes, when the edges of the batter turn white, insert a skewer around each hole and cut the batter into portions.

7. Quickly flip each piece starting from the edge hole.
Instead of flipping all at once, first turn each piece 90 degrees, and then flip them all. (By turning 90 degrees before flipping completely, you can create a round takoyaki with the batter flowing out before it's fully cooked inside.)

8. Even after flipping the entire batch, continue flipping without resting your hands. Shape the takoyaki into a beautiful sphere while tucking in any protruding parts.

9. If there are holes or if some holes have less batter, add more batter to fill them.

10. Swap the takoyaki between holes that are well-cooked and those that are not to even out the cooking.

11. Brush a little oil on the surface for a glossy finish and to achieve a crisp texture while cooking.