Takoyaki

Method

1. 01

   Step 1

   Sift the batter, add water gradually, not too much at once, until it reaches a consistency where it can be dripped into the water.

   

2. 02

   Step 2

   That's it. Don't over-stir; just mix it until it's even. Let it sit for 1 hour. A difference of 10 or 8 minutes won't make a big difference.

   

3. 03

   Step 3

   Finely chop the onion and cabbage; the finer the better, as it will be easier to stuff into the meatballs.

   

4. 04

   Step 4

   Remove the ink sac from the octopus. You can also cook it first, just boil it briefly in water for a minute or two, then chop it up and drain.

   

5. 05

   Step 5

   Add soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to a pot and simmer over low heat. Add cornstarch and stir. Do not reduce the sauce too much; it will solidify and become thicker than it was in the pot as it cools.

   

6. 06

   Step 6

   That's enough. If you have ready-made teriyaki sauce, skip these two steps.

   

7. 07

   Step 7

   Heat a pan, brush with oil, and cook over medium heat.

   

8. 08

   Step 8

   Pour in the batter, heat over low heat, sprinkle with octopus, onion, and cabbage (add plenty), and cook until slightly set. Then you can use a steel needle or bamboo skewer to pick it up.

   

9. 09

   Step 9

   Stand the tomato upright, or lift it out of the indentation, pour in the batter and put it back in. If there are a lot of vegetables, pour less batter the second time. Once it has slightly solidified, flip it over and tuck the top part into the indentation.

   

10. 10

    Step 10

    A few of the ones I put in first got overheated, so please be careful with the heat. Use bamboo skewers or awls to turn them over and grill them until they're cooked through. My little darlings, please ignore the blackened bits of vegetables left over from the previous batch!

    

11. 11

    Step 11

    Oh, this is the beautiful appearance when the first batch of ingredients was added.

    

12. 12

    Step 12

    Remove from the pan when golden brown and firm on all sides; don't worry about the inside being soft. Squeeze on some salad dressing, teriyaki sauce, or ketchup if you like. Sprinkle with shredded seaweed and the soul of takoyaki—bonito flakes. Enjoy!