Takoyaki Recipe

Make Dashi-based Batter

In a medium bowl whisk the egg lightly. Add 2 cups of dashi stock. Whisk in 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbs soy sauce until just combined. Batter should be thin and slightly runny; avoid overmixing to keep it airy. Strain batter through a fine sieve into a measuring cup or bowl to remove lumps.

Preheat a takoyaki pan over medium heat. If you don't have a takoyaki pan, use an ebelskiver pan with spherical molds. Brush each well generously with vegetable oil so batter won't stick and the exterior crisps.

Bring the pan to a steady medium-high heat so a single drop of batter sizzles on contact. Fill each well about three-quarters full with the batter (it will overflow slightly).

Quickly place a piece of diced cooked octopus into the center of each well. Sprinkle a pinch (about 1 tsp) of tenkasu, a little of the chopped pickled ginger (about 1/4 tsp), and a teaspoon of sliced green onion into each well so every ball gets some filling. If you want extra crunch, add slightly more tenkasu.

When the edges set but the surface is still wet (about 1–2 minutes), use a skewer or takoyaki pick to turn each piece 90 degrees so the uncooked batter flows out and forms a ball. Continue to turn the balls every 30–60 seconds to achieve a round shape and even browning. This process takes about 4–6 minutes total per batch; the exterior should be golden-brown and the inside cooked but tender.

If batter runs low, top up wells with more batter as you turn the balls so they stay spherical and fully cooked inside. Reduce heat slightly if the exterior browns too quickly before the center cooks.

Transfer the cooked takoyaki to a plate. Immediately drizzle takoyaki sauce over each ball (about 1 tsp of sauce per ball) and follow with a zigzag of Kewpie mayonnaise (about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp per ball).

Sprinkle aonori evenly over the sauced takoyaki, then top with a generous pinch of katsuobushi. The heat from the balls will make the bonito flakes gently move. Serve hot.

Optional: Serve with extra pickled ginger and chives on the side. Leftovers can be reheated briefly in a hot nonstick pan to revive crispness, but best eaten fresh.