Takoyaki

I'm a huge Takoyaki fan, and so got excited to the bone when I finally found a Takoyaki maker last December.  But life got in the way and I never got to try making Takoyaki until today.  I'm very happy to report that it turned out perfectly well, and we wiped out all 32 balls we made from this recipe. :)

TAKOYAKI

What's In It?

Takoyaki Batter

• 2 sachets Ajinomoto Dashi powder
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 2 large eggs, or 3 small ones, beaten lightly
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

Fillings

• Diced Tako (octopus), about 1/2 cup
• Finely chopped cabbage, about 1/2 cup
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 T beni shoga (red pickled ginger), diced finely*
• 1/2 cup dried alamang (baby freshwater shrimps)*

Cooking oil

Kitchen Conjugations:

1. Make Takoyaki batter by first dissolving the dashi powder into the warm water.  Add in salt and soy sauce.  Pour in 2 cups water, then check seasonings.  Adjust by adding more dashi powder if desired. 

2. Check the dashi stock's temperature, which should be room temp. Slowly stir in the flour alternately with the beaten eggs.  Stir to combine well, ensuring the batter is free of lumps.  Set aside.

3. Plug in and turn the Takoyaki appliance on.  Brush each cavity generously with cooking oil.

4. Pour batter to each cavity to half-full.  Drop a little of each filling into each cavity. Let cook for about 3 minutes.

5.  Using skewers tilt each Takoyaki to check if the batter has cooked. Remove each half carefully, a row each time, and fill the vacated cavities as you have in step 4. Take the cooked Takoyaki halves back to their places, covering the other, still cooking half.  Do the same for the other Takoyaki halves.

6. Tilt the Takoyakis from time to time to ensure even cooking, also to make round them off.  Cook for another 3 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Remove from pan, serve drizzled with Takoyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise (which I didn't have), sprinkled with Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes, which I didn't have as well--bummer!) and aonori (green seaweed).

Tabemashou! 食べる食べましょう!