Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus Balls)

Name: Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus Balls)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 26 pieces
Ingredients: ¼ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes); 2 green onions/scallions; 1 Tbsp pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga); 4.2 oz octopus sashimi (boiled octopus); 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour); 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell); 1 tsp soy sauce; 1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock); 2 Tbsp neutral oil; ⅓ cup tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps); ½ cup takoyaki sauce; Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise; katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes); aonori (dried green laver seaweed); pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)

User Reviews

4.7

498 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings
26 pieces
Calories
51 kcal
Course
Main Course, Snacks
Cuisine
Japanese

Takoyaki (Grilled Octopus Balls)

Caleb Murray

Report

Takoyaki, or Grilled Octopus Balls, originated in Osaka and are one of Japan’s best-known street foods. Whether you make the traditional style with bits of octopus or choose creative alternatives, these ball-shaped dumplings are fun to make with your friends and family!

Share:

I Made This!

373 people made this

Print

102 people printed this

Save this

298 people saved this

Ingredients

Servings

¼ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (I use the type with bigger flakes)
2 green onions/scallions
1 Tbsp pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)
4.2 oz octopus sashimi (boiled octopus) (found in Japanese grocery stores; or substitute with sausage, corn, edamame, cheese, small mochi pieces...the choices are endless!)

For the Batter

1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour)
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
1 tsp soy sauce
1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)

For Cooking

2 Tbsp neutral oil
⅓ cup tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps)

For the Toppings

½ cup takoyaki sauce (make my Homemade Takoyaki Sauce or use tonkatsu sauce)
Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise
katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
aonori (dried green laver seaweed)
pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga)

Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Gather all the ingredients.

To Prepare the Filling

Grind ¼ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) into a fine powder. Set aside; we‘ll use this powder when we‘re cooking the takoyaki.
Cut 2 green onions/scallions into fine slices and mince 1 Tbsp pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga).
Cut 4.2 oz octopus sashimi (boiled octopus) into ½-inch (1.3-cm) bite-sized pieces; cut into smaller pieces for kids so they can chew it more easily. I use the rangiri cutting technique.

To Make the Batter

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), 2 tsp baking powder, and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and whisk it all together.
Add 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell), 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock).
Whisk it all together until well blended and transfer the batter to a measuring cup with a handle (or any other pitcher with a spout for easy pouring.)

To Cook the Takoyaki

Heat the takoyaki pan to 400ºF (200ºC) over medium heat. Use a brush to generously grease the pan‘s rounded chambers and flat top surface with 2 Tbsp neutral oil. When smoke starts to rise, pour the batter to fill the chambers. It’s okay to slightly overfill the cavities. In the next steps, the batter will likely overflow as you add more ingredients to it.
Add 1–3 octopus pieces, depending on their size, to each chamber and sprinkle on top the katsuobushi powder that you ground earlier.
Sprinkle ⅓ cup tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps), the green onion slices, and the chopped pickled red ginger on top. After 3 minutes or so, when the batter on the bottom has set and is slightly crisp, use skewers to break the connected batter between each chamber. Then, rotate each piece 90 degrees (a quarter turn) toward the bottom of the pan, stuffing the connected dough back into the ball as you turn it. The uncooked batter will flow out from inside to create another side of the ball. After you finish turning them, set a timer for 4 minutes.
After 4 minutes, rotate them again, starting with the first ball: Turn each takoyaki another 90 degrees toward the bottom of the pan so the remaining uncooked batter pours out into the chamber to complete the ball shape. Home takoyaki griddles don‘t distribute heat evenly, so it’s a good idea to swap the balls around to different chambers so they brown evenly. After turning and cooking for another 4 minutes, they are done.

To Serve

Transfer them onto a plate and drizzle ½ cup takoyaki sauce and Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise on top. Finish the dish with a sprinkling of katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and aonori (dried green laver seaweed) and a side of pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga). Serve immediately. (But, be careful—they‘re VERY hot inside!)

To Store

You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 2–3 weeks.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 51kcal (3%) Carbohydrates 5g (2%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 2g (3%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 17mg (6%) Sodium 124mg (5%) Potassium 33mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 37IU (1%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 25mg (3%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 26pieces

Amount Per Serving

Calories 51 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	51kcal	3%
Carbohydrates	5g	2%
Protein	2g	4%
Fat	2g	3%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	1g	5%
Trans Fat	1g	50%
Cholesterol	17mg	6%
Sodium	124mg	5%
Potassium	33mg	1%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	1g	2%
Vitamin A	37IU	1%
Vitamin C	1mg	1%
Calcium	25mg	3%
Iron	1mg	6%