Japanese Takoyaki Octopus Balls (Printable)
Golden-brown balls filled with octopus, tempura scraps, and topped with savory sauce and bonito flakes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Batter
01 - 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 2 cups (480 ml) dashi stock
04 - 1/2 tsp soy sauce
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
→ Filling
06 - 120 g (4 oz) cooked octopus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
07 - 1/4 cup (25 g) tenkasu (tempura scraps)
08 - 2 tbsp pickled red ginger (benishoga), finely chopped
09 - 2 green onions, finely sliced
→ Toppings
10 - Takoyaki sauce
11 - Japanese mayonnaise
12 - Aonori (dried seaweed flakes)
13 - Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
# How to Make It:
01 - Whisk together flour, eggs, dashi stock, soy sauce, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth and thin. Set aside.
02 - Preheat takoyaki pan over medium heat and lightly oil each well.
03 - Pour batter into each well, filling to the top.
04 - Place a piece of octopus, tenkasu, pickled ginger, and green onion into each well.
05 - Cook for 1–2 minutes until edges begin to set.
06 - Use skewers or chopsticks to turn each ball 90 degrees, allowing uncooked batter to flow out and form a round shape.
07 - Continue turning every 1–2 minutes until balls are golden and crisp on all sides, approximately 8–10 minutes total.
08 - Remove from pan and serve hot. Drizzle with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise, then sprinkle with aonori and katsuobushi.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The combination of crispy outside and creamy inside feels like magic in your mouth
- It is interactive cooking that brings everyone to the kitchen
- You can customize the fillings based on what you love
02 -
- The first couple batches will not look perfect, and that is completely normal
- Working quickly while turning is essential because the batter keeps cooking
- Serve immediately because the texture changes dramatically as they cool
03 -
- Preheat your pan properly, otherwise the batter will stick
- Keep a small bowl of water nearby to dip your turning tools if they get sticky