Takoyaki (Octopus Balls)

A festival stand preparing and selling Takoyaki (better known to us gaijin as octopus balls).

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup flour
• 2 1/2 cup dashi soup
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 lb. boiled octopus chunks
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup dried sakura ebi (red shrimp)
• 1/4 cup chopped pickled red ginger
• *For topping: bonito flakes, aonori (green dried seaweed), worcestershire sauce or takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise

PREPARATION:

Mix flour, dashi soup, and eggs in a bowl to make batter. Thickness of the batter should be like potage soup. Put oil inside cups of a takoyaki grill pan. Pour batter in the cups to the full.

Add chopped octopus, red ginger, and green onion in each hole. Grill takoyaki balls, turning with a pick. When takoyaki become rounds and brown, remove them from the pan and place in a plate. Put sauce and mayonnaise on takoyaki and sprinkle bonito flakes and aonori on the top.