Japanese Takoyaki Octopus Balls (Printable)

Crispy golden Japanese dumplings filled with tender octopus, tempura scraps, and topped with savory sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes.

# What You'll Need:

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour

02 - 2 large eggs

03 - 2 cups dashi stock

04 - 1/2 tsp soy sauce

05 - 1/2 tsp salt

06 - 4 oz cooked octopus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

07 - 1/4 cup tenkasu (tempura scraps)

08 - 2 tbsp pickled red ginger (benishoga), finely chopped

09 - 2 green onions, finely sliced

10 - Takoyaki sauce

11 - Japanese mayonnaise

12 - Aonori (dried seaweed flakes)

13 - Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

01 - Whisk together flour, eggs, dashi stock, soy sauce, and salt in a mixing bowl until smooth and thin. Set aside.

02 - Preheat a 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, some tenkasu, pickled ginger, and green onion into each well.

05 - Let cook for 1-2 minutes until the edges start 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 (8-10 minutes total).

08 - Remove from pan and serve hot, drizzled with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Sprinkle with aonori and katsuobushi.

01 -

The crispy outside gives way to the creamiest, most tender center you have ever experienced in a bite sized food
Once you master the flipping motion it becomes the most impressive party trick you can pull off in your kitchen

02 -

The batter must be thin and smooth like heavy cream or the centers will be doughy instead of creamy
Do not be afraid to really turn the balls quickly once they have set, they are sturdier than they look

03 -

Let your batter rest for at least 15 minutes to prevent lumps and ensure the smoothest texture
Keep a small bowl of oil nearby to reoil the wells between batches if needed