# Takoyaki (Octopus Balls) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Osaka City

## Main Ingredients Used
Wheat flour, dashi (=Japanese soup stock), eggs, boiled octopus, tenkasu(=deep fried dough)

## History, Origin, and Related Events
When it comes to the taste of Osaka, the first thing that comes to mind is likely takoyaki. It is made by pouring a mixture of dashi(=Japanese soup stock), eggs, and wheat flour into round indentations on a griddle, adding chopped octopus as the filling, and cooking it into a round shape. It is then enjoyed with sauce and mayonnaise. It is a soul food for the people of Osaka.Originally offered at dagashiya (cheap snack shops) and yatai (food stalls) during the late Meiji era to the Taisho era, it is said to be a derivative of the popular snack for children known as "choboyaki." The classic fillings included konjac(=yam cake), dried shrimp, pickled radish, and the seasoning involved adding soy sauce to the batter before cooking it into a round shape. In the late Taisho era, with the advent of radio broadcasting in Japan, a yatai food called "radio-yaki" was named after the cutting-edge technology of radio. In the early Showa era, takoyaki using octopus as a filling began to be sold at yatai in Osaka. Initially, it was eaten plain, but after the war, the introduction of rich sauce led to the establishment of the current style, where takoyaki is topped with sauce, aonori(=seaweed flakes), and bonito flakes, and served on a boat-shaped tray with toothpicks. It eventually became a well-known specialty of Osaka, widely loved across the country, and has now become a staple in the world of street food enjoyed by people nationwide.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
It is a readily available and familiar light snack. In Osaka, it has widely permeated as a home-cooked dish, and many households own a takoyaki maker. Today, not only across various regions in Japan but also in major cities around the world, there is an increasing number of establishments offering takoyaki. Additionally, frozen takoyaki has become a staple side menu item in restaurants and ramen shops in places like the United States.

## How to Eat
To make takoyaki, heat the pot of the takoyaki maker, grease it with oil, and pour the batter into the molds until the edges are covered. Place one piece of octopus and then add tenkasu(=deep fried dough). As the edges start to cook, use a pick to tuck in any overflowing batter and shape it into a round form. Once cooked, remove it from the maker, brush on a rich sauce, and sprinkle with aonori(=seaweed flakes) and bonito flakes.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)Various shops that specialize in takoyaki sell their own uniquely crafted variations. In Dotonbori, numerous takoyaki stalls line the streets, and many tourists enjoy trying different ones as they stroll around. Additionally, takoyaki has established a solid position as a souvenir from Osaka, and a wide variety of takoyaki-related products are promoted to tourists. There are also many organizations, such as the Japan Konamon Association and the Kamikata Okonomiyaki Takoyaki Cooperative, actively working to promote and develop the culture of teppan konamon, including takoyaki.

## Ingredients
- [Batter] Cake flour: 300g
- [Batter] Dashi(=Japanese soup stock): 1,100cc
- [Batter] Eggs: 3
- [Batter] Salt: 2-3g
- Oil: As needed
- Boiled octopus: 200g
- Tenkasu(=deep fried dough): 60g
- [Toppings] Rich sauce: To taste
- [Toppings] Aonori (seaweed flakes): To taste
- [Toppings] Shaved bonito flakes: To taste
- [Toppings] Mayonnaise: To taste

## Recipe
1. 1. Cut the boiled octopus into pieces about 15mm in size.
2. 2. [Batter]In a bowl, beat the eggs well, then add dashi(=Japanese soup stock), cake flour, and salt in that order. Mix by cutting through the mixture until the flour is fully incorporated. Don't worry about any lumps; they will disappear after about 10 minutes. Once the mixing is complete, transfer the batter to a measuring cup.
3. 3. Preheat the takoyaki maker to 220℃ and lightly coat it with oil.
4. 4. Drop a small amount of batter into each hole; when you hear a sizzling sound, quickly pour the batter into all the holes. Ensure that the entire plate is filled with batter. Since the flour tends to settle, mix the batter well before pouring.
5. 5. Immediately add octopus pieces and sprinkle tenkasu(=deep fried dough) over the entire surface.
6. 6. After about 1-2 minutes, when the edges of the batter turn white, insert a skewer around each hole and cut the batter into portions.
7. 7. Quickly flip each piece starting from the edge hole. Instead of flipping all at once, first turn each piece 90 degrees, and then flip them all. (By turning 90 degrees before flipping completely, you can create a round takoyaki with the batter flowing out before it's fully cooked inside.)
8. 8. Even after flipping the entire batch, continue flipping without resting your hands. Shape the takoyaki into a beautiful sphere while tucking in any protruding parts.
9. 9. If there are holes or if some holes have less batter, add more batter to fill them.
10. 10. Swap the takoyaki between holes that are well-cooked and those that are not to even out the cooking.
11. 11. Brush a little oil on the surface for a glossy finish and to achieve a crisp texture while cooking.

## Provider Information
provider : Japan Konamon Association

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