Japanese Octopus Dumpling Balls Recipe (Takoyaki)

Let me just say this upfront: Many dumplings are spherical in shape and can only be described as balls. Go ahead and giggle like I did during the four-day Asian Dumplings photo shoot when photographer Penny De Los Santos repeatedly said “balls” to break up the tension. But seriously, round shaped dumplings have a large presence in the Asian dumpling repertoire. Consider classic Asian dumplings such as fried Chinese sesame balls (jin duei) and Indian gulab jamum (once referred to in a recipe as cakey balls). I’ll stop with the innuendos.

What got me hooked on making Japanese takoyaki is not their shape, nor the fact that their name literally means octopus balls, reflecting that they are traditionally filled with chunks of cooked octopus. Takoyaki resemble French profiteroles but they combine an unusual array of savory ingredients  – dashi stock hydrates the wheat flour batter, the filling includes raw, cooked, and pickled items, and garnishes comprise mayonnaise, seaweed, shaved bonito flakes and tonkatsu sauce, which tastes like Worcestershire sauce. All of these seemingly disparate ingredients give donut-like takoyaki a savory, rich, tangy, sea-like taste. These dumplings remind me of Japan’s quirky culture and its penchant for building layer upon layer of subtlety to create wonderful foods.

In terms of Japanese dumplings, takoyaki is not as popular as gyoza but a close runner up. The dumplings are a Japanese street food enjoyed by many young people. In recounting her youth, my friend Maki gleefully talks about eating takoyaki after dancing up a storm at the discos. The dumplings are popular in Taiwan and Hong Kong too. I’ve witness hordes of Chinese hipsters in Kowloon (Hong Kong) around the takoyaki vendor. In the States, Japantowns and Japanese markets are where you are likely to find takoyaki. I’ve seen them at the Vancouver weekend night market in the Asian section of town.

Equipment, filling options and batter mixes
What to do when you’re not near a takoyaki vendor? Make them yourself. You need a cast-iron pan with semi-spherical wells in them. There are special takoyaki pans sold at Japanese hardware/houseware shops but an aebeskilver type pan works. I used my as-seen-on-TV pancake puff pan; it’s the one I used for South Indian kuzhi paniyaram rice and lentil dumplings. Love the crosscultural uses, don’t you?

As for the filling, who has access to small quantities of boiled octopus? When I spoke to Japanese food authority Elizabeth Andoh (author of marvelous Japanese cookbooks such as Washoku), she told me that you can put whatever you’d like into takoyaki. That’s true. I’ve seen takoyaki recipes that called for using tempura bits and konyaku as filling. In that regard, takoyaki is like its Osaka sister, okonomiyaki, which is sometimes translated as “as you like it pancake.” For the filling, I prefer shrimp, scallion, cabbage and some pickled ginger, either the salty red variety or the tangy-sweet slices served with sushi.

There are takoyaki batter mixes but the clerks at Marukai, Mitsuwa and Nijiya markets that I ventured to suggested okonomiyaki batter mix, which is easier to find. I prefer to mix my own using cake flour, and have provided a takoyaki batter recipe below. Note that I use instant dashi stock powder, an acceptable practice. The brand I prefer has no MSG and is sold at Japanese, Korean markets, and some Chinese markets. Sushi-type pickled ginger is terrific, or go for the saltier and pretty shredded ginger sold in the refrigerated section of the markets.

For the tonkatsu sauce, check the Asian food aisle at the supermarket or just use Worcestershire sauce; the brand I purchased is carried at Japanese markets and there’s little English writing. Katsuo-bushi (Japanese shaved bonito flakes) imparts a lovely smokey quality and the seaweed injects a bit of the sea to takoyaki. The dumplings require these two Japanese staples so do make sure you have them on hand. They’re both readily available at Asian markets, health food stores, and specialty grocers. Buy katsuo-bushi in the standard, convenient small plastic packages, such as this one:

RECIPE

Japanese Octopus Dumpling Balls
Takoyaki

Hot from the pan, these dumplings are lightly crisp but they lose their crispness in less than a minute. That’s to be expected and is part of takoyaki’s unusual nature. If you’d like, substitute 1 1/3 cups homemade dashi for the dashi powder and water. Takoyaki dumplings are meant to be eaten hot from the pan (I’ve burnt my tongue several times) so line up your guests. See the tip on using a plastic bag to pipe out the mayonnaise in nice lines.

Makes about 16 dumplings, to serve 3 to 4 as a snack

Batter
6 ounces (1 1/3 cups) cake flour, such as Swansdown brand
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons instant dashi powder
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups water

Filling
3 large cooked shrimp, cut into peanut-size pieces (brimming 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallion, white and green parts
2 tablespoons Japanese red ginger shreds or finely chopped pickled ginger, gently squeezed to remove excess moisture
2 tablespoons finely chopped green cabbage (omit hard center spine)

1 to 2 tablespoon canola oil

Garnishes
About 3 tablespoons Japanese tonkatsu sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or Chinese black vinegar
About 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons aonori (ground dried seaweed), or 1 full-size sheet toasted nori (seaweed), cut into short, thin pieces
1/2 cup loosely packed Japanese dried bonito flakes (katsuo-bushi)
strips

1. To make the batter, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and dashi powder in a bowl. Make a hole in the center. Whisk together the egg and water, then whisk into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter. Transfer to a measuring cup. Set aside to bloom for at least 15 minutes, or cover with plastic and leave at room temperature for as long as 2 hours. 

2. Have the filling ingredients ready near the stove, along with the batter. Make sure the garnishes are ready too as the dumplings are best eaten hot from the pan.

3. Heat the pancake puff, aebelskiver, or takoyaki pan over medium heat. Brush a light coating of oil in each well. Aim for a moderately warm pan as if you’re making pancakes. Too hot of pan will form craters on the surface and you want a smooth finish on these dumplings.

When the pan is sufficiently hot, pour batter into the pan to just shy of the rim. If your burner has hot spots, fill the wells above those hot spots last. If anything, there should be just a light sizzle when the batter hits the pan. Lower the heat if the sizzling is loud as that’s a sign that the pan is too hot.

4. Add 1 or 2 pieces of shrimp and generous pinches of scallion, ginger, and cabbage to each well. The batter level will rise a tad. Then wait for about 1 minute until the edges have begun to set or small bubbles have formed at the rim. When that happens, use two skewers to loosen each dumpling around the top edge and flip it over. Expect the dumplings to be pale in color at this stage.

Don’t fret about doing it neatly. Aim to flip it over when there’s still enough loose batter to form a round underside; some may look like Pacman but that’s fine. After about 1 minute, the batter should have set on the other side and you can tuck the dumpling into the well to cook evenly into a nice round shape.

Keep turning and rotating the dumpling for about 5 minutes, until the dumplings are golden and crisp. Use the skewers to transfer (stab the dumpling if you must) the dumplings to a plate. Let cool for about 1 minute before serving. Meanwhile, oil and repeat the cooking to make more takoyaki dumplings.

5. To serve, drizzle the tonkatsu sauce and mayonnaise atop the dumplings. Follow by sprinkling with seaweed and finish with the bonito flakes. Eat with forks or skewers, should you want to mimic the act of eating takoyaki on the street.

Related info:

• Quick-and-easy way to pipe out the mayonnaise
• Takoyaki recipe from Shizuoka Gourmet in Japan
• A simple and tasty way to cook shrimp (on Vietworldkitchen.com)
• Indian kuzhi paniyaram – a similar shaped dumpling, this one is made from rice and lentil and prepared in the same kind of pan
• Okonomiyaki Japanese pancake - if you want to make another Osaka favorite a great recipe on 101cookbooks.com (Heidi describes it as a pizza but you'll get the idea)

Comments

[Binh]

I saw that pan and I thought "banh khot". Those takoyakis are tasty, esp with the octopus fillings.

[Jesse]

As can be seen in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G6KT-JGIwA&feature=related

If you poor the batter so it overflows the cups in the pan, and then as the batter sets use your skewer to cut the batter around each cup and fold it over the top as you flip the takoyaki, this will help prevent ending up with pacmen...

Thanks for inspiring me to make takoyaki this weekend. It has been ages...

[OysterCulture]

oh goodness, little bits of heaven are staring me in the face

[Andrea Nguyen]

Binh -- banh khot is on my list!

Jesse -- love that tip on preventing Pacman takoyaki. The extra bit of batter should definitely do the trick. There's a little clean up between batches but it should lift off the pan easily.

Oyster Culture -- you are too much. Takoyaki are oddly lovable.

[lisaiscooking]

I have to get one of those pans! The uses could be endless, and these dumplings sound delicious.

[Carolyn Jung]

My husband's youngest niece (who is Japanese-American)is wild for these. I remember her driving with her aunt all the way from Sacramento to the South Bay just to score some. Actually, now that you've shown me I can make them in my ebelskiver pan, I can whip some up for her the next time she visits.

[foodcreate]

Delicious I going to get those pans

Thanks for sharing your blog and tasty recipe:)

Welcome~~~
http://foodcreate.com
Join Post your comments and have a wonderful day !

[Andrea Nguyen]

Carolyn, What's with young people and takoyaki? You'll be the most favorite auntie to that lucky young woman!

[jordans]

The recipe testers did an amazing job. And yes, they volunteered and I didn't have to do much recruiting either

[coach outlet]

I would suggest Dan is wrong. There's still a lot of low hanging fruit
out there -- and new fruit to pluck every day.

[christian louboutin]

And your articles give out the pure soul of yours.It is of help during my boring work.

[coach factory outlet]

Thanks for the sharing of those article! That will be helpful.*

[air yeezy]

I am denser than I thought! I love them and will approach the guild about buying them.

[air yeezy]

I am denser than I thought! I love them and will approach the guild about buying them.

[UGG Classic Metallic]

It is easy to be wise after the event.　A hero only appears once the tiger is dead.　

[julia]

Hey, Great post, please continue sharing to us !!

http://www.bellspharmacy.com

[julia]

Hi..
This is a great idea, I would like to read this information every day
http://www.bellspharmacy.com/category/73/remeron.html
Thanks for sharing

[ugg outlet]

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet south,
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour

[nike shox]

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

[Takoo Takoyaki]

This recipe will makes takoyaki more delicious and better
Good measurement of recipe, i'll try itu for my takoyaki resto in http://www.takoo.biz

Greeting from takoyakilovers :)

[Takoo Takoyaki]

hmm i have a question, why you use not whole around pan hole?
i use whole around pan hole so i can make excellent ball of takoyaki in Takoo!

Cek this out http://www.takoo.biz

[Darlene Nunes]

I was wondering is there an alternative topping for these besides things like mayo and ketchup, because I don't really care much for that

[Jacki]

You're the geratset! JMHO

[Herve leger]

I have to get one of those pans! The uses could be endless, and these dumplings sound delicious.>>>>>>>>

[Mens True Religion 5]

would like to join your blog anyway so please continue