Tako-yaki Recipe

Mix dry

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Combine wet

In a separate bowl, beat 2 eggs lightly, then whisk in 2 cups warm dashi stock and 1 tablespoon soy sauce until uniform.

Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients while whisking to avoid lumps. The batter should be fairly thin and slightly runny — similar to crepe batter. Cover and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes while you prepare the pan and fillings.

Prepare fillings: pat 8 oz cooked octopus pieces dry and cut into roughly 1/2-inch cubes if not already bite-sized. Finely chop 2 tablespoons pickled ginger and thinly slice scallions to yield about 3 tablespoons. Have 3 tablespoons tenkasu or panko ready.

Heat a takoyaki pan over medium heat until hot. Brush each well generously with vegetable oil (use a pastry brush or paper towel dipped in oil). Keep extra oil on hand to re-grease during cooking.

Pour batter: Fill each well about three-quarters full with batter. Work quickly while pan is hot; you may need to pour in a little more batter so it slightly overflows the well as the batter will shrink as it cooks.

Add fillings: Drop one piece of octopus into each well, then sprinkle a pinch of pickled ginger, a little tenkasu, and some green onion into each. If some wells look underfilled after the fillings absorb batter, add a teaspoon or two of extra batter to top off.

Cook the bottoms for about 90 seconds to 2 minutes until the edges start to set and turn lightly golden. Use a takoyaki pick/skewer (or two skewers) to start turning each ball 90 degrees. The uncooked batter will flow out — let it run into the well and form a rim.

Continue cooking and turning every 30–45 seconds, rotating the balls to form a round shape. Add small amounts of oil to wells as needed to prevent sticking. Total cooking time is 6–8 minutes, until each ball is evenly golden brown and crisp on the outside and fully cooked through.

If any balls are soft in the center, keep rotating and press gently with the pick to encourage even cooking; the goal is a crisp exterior and a tender, slightly custardy interior.

Transfer cooked takoyaki to a plate or to traditional wooden boats. Brush or spoon 4 tablespoons takoyaki/okonomiyaki sauce over the top of the balls so they are well coated.

Drizzle 3 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern over the sauce.

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon aonori evenly over the top, then finish with 2 tablespoons katsuobushi (bonito flakes). The heat will make the flakes move, which is characteristic of takoyaki presentation.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra pickled ginger and sauces on the side if desired.