Japanese Octopus Balls recipe
Octopus Balls (also known as Takoyaki) are small dumplings with a tender chunk of octopus in the center. It has a crispy outer layer and a tender, juicy filling. This well-known Japanese street food has a unique taste and is fun to prepare!
Servings: 24 Takoyaki balls
Ingredients
- 2 oz pre-cooked octopus
- vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp finely chopped shallots
- 2 tbsp tenkasu
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 ¾ cups clear broth
Toppings
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Dried seaweed flakes
- Bonito flakes
Instructions
- Add beaten egg, dashi stock, and soy sauce to a measuring cup and combine well.
- Add flour into the cup and combine until the mixture is lump-free.
- Cut the octopus into cubes about 1/2 inch.
- Heat the takoyaki pan over medium-low heat. Grease each mold with oil. Extra oil will provide a crispier result.
- Fill each mold with batter, trying not to overfill.
- Place one piece of octopus into each mold along with tenkasu and shallots on top.
- Pour batter over the mold and fill the surface of the pan.
- Draw grid lines with a long bamboo skewer or a thin chopstick to portion each Takoyaki.
- Scrape the edges of the batter and move everything toward the mold. Start with the most cooked pieces, using skewers or chopsticks.
- Tuck excess batter into the mold while also turning the batter 90 degrees.
- Turn into each mold again and turn another 90 degrees so the batter is completely turned over from its original position.
- Cook balls for about 5 minutes. Turn frequently to allow them all to brown evenly.