Takoyaki (octopus balls)

Freshly made takoyaki are perfectly round, with a crispy, caramelized exterior and a soft, chewy interior. Each bite bursts with crunchy squid tentacles and succulent shrimp, coated in a rich, sweet and savory teriyaki sauce and smooth, creamy mayonnaise. The bonito flakes tremble gently in the steam. You just can't stop eating them! Recently, my little one asked, "I haven't had takoyaki in ages!" Usually, a box only has six pieces, and I'm always counting them carefully. But at home, I can have takoyaki freedom! Half a pound of flour makes 24 pieces—enough to satisfy everyone! Watching my little one proudly showing off the plate, face covered in sauce, this mom thinks: This cooking skill is off the charts!

Ingredients

Steps

Preparing ingredients and shredding: Shred the ginger into thin strips and set aside.
Preparing squid tentacles: Wash the squid tentacles, blanch them in boiling water for 30 seconds, add ginger slices and cooking wine to remove the fishy smell, remove them, rinse them clean, and chop them for later use.
Ingredient preparation and chopping: Chop the shrimp and put them in a bowl together with the chopped squid tentacles.
Add light soy sauce, oyster sauce, cooking wine, black pepper powder, and shredded ginger, and marinate for about 15 minutes.
Teriyaki Sauce Preparation: In a bowl, combine light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar. Stir well and pour into a pot. Bring to a boil, add a little water, then pour in pre-diluted cornstarch slurry. Cook until thickened, then turn off the heat and set aside. (If you have ready-made teriyaki sauce, skip this step.)
Vegetable preparation: Finely chop the cabbage and onion separately and set aside.
Batter Preparation: In a bowl, crack in 2 eggs and whisk thoroughly. Add water and mix well. Then add takoyaki flour and stir until smooth. If there are lumps, let it sit for 20 minutes and stir again. Alternative: If you can't find takoyaki flour, you can use 200g all-purpose flour + 200g water + 2 eggs, seasoned with a little salt and MSG. Finally, pour the batter into a spouted container for easy transfer to a baking pan.
Preheating and oiling: Preheat the takoyaki baking pan and brush a thin layer of oil into each hole.
Pour in the batter: Pour the batter into the small hole until it is half full, add the marinated shrimp and squid tentacles, then add chopped onions and chopped cabbage.
Shaping: Once the bottom has set, gently flip the ball with a skewer to coat all the ingredients with batter (see video). If it's not plump enough, add a little more batter until the ball is round and full. Beginner-friendly tip: This process requires a little patience, taking about ten minutes, but the success rate is extremely high, so don't worry about failing!
Plating: Bake until the takoyaki are golden brown and crispy. Squeeze on teriyaki sauce and mayonnaise. If you like it spicy, you can add a little wasabi. Finally, sprinkle with bonito flakes and it's ready to eat! Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator and reheated in the microwave when you want to eat them.
My baking pan doesn't get very hot, so it never burns, making it perfect for DIY with kids (the previous pictures won't open 😂). If you're using other pans, you'll need to flip them more often to avoid burning. After making the takoyaki, I also used it to pan-fry a fish fillet and a steak. It's small and doesn't take up much space—I absolutely love this pan! For anyone who loves cooking, who doesn't have a few pots, brushes, and sieves? Without even one of these, I feel like my culinary skills won't be up to par 😆