Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)
Golden, crispy octopus balls with a molten interior. These Japanese street-food favorites are made in a specialized takoyaki pan and served with tangy sauce and bonito flakes.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 320
- Protein
- 18g
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon dashi stock powder (or instant broth)
- ½ pound cooked octopus, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- ½ cup takoyaki sauce (or Worcestershire sauce mixed with ketchup)
- 4 tablespoons neutral oil (for cooking)
Instructions
- 1
Pour 1 cup of water into a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon of dashi stock powder until completely dissolved with no powder lumps visible, about 30 seconds.
- 2
Pour 1 cup of flour into a medium bowl and make a small well in the center with the back of a spoon.
- 3
Slowly pour the dashi mixture into the well while whisking constantly with a fork until the batter is smooth with no lumps, about 1 minute.
- 4
Measure out 0.5 pound of cooked octopus and chop it into 1/2-inch pieces — no larger than a marble, no smaller than a pea — and set aside in a small bowl.
- 5
Place a takoyaki pan on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium-high, then add 4 tablespoons of neutral oil divided equally among the round molds.
- 6
Wait until the oil shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds — this means it is hot enough.
- 7
Pour batter into each takoyaki mold until three-quarters full, then place 3–4 pieces of chopped octopus into the center of each ball.
- 8
Wait 2 minutes, then use a small pick or wooden skewer to gently rotate each ball a quarter turn to coat the sides with batter evenly.
- 9
Continue rotating the balls every minute for the next 3 minutes until the exterior is golden brown all over and the batter is set.
- 10
Remove each takoyaki ball from the mold by tilting the pan slightly and using a pick to gently nudge it into a serving dish or plate.
- 11
While the takoyaki are still hot, drizzle 0.5 cup of takoyaki sauce evenly over the tops of all the balls.
- 12
Serve immediately while the exterior is crispy and the interior is still molten, with toothpicks for eating.
Tools you’ll need
- takoyaki pan with hemispherical molds
- small mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- fork
- wooden spoon
- takoyaki pick or wooden skewer
- measuring cups and spoons
- small serving plate or dish
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
