Tako-Taiyaki?!?!

My taiyaki pan is at it again! This time I’m making takoyaki but in the shape of a taiyaki. This is super easy and delicious, especially if you, like me, are very heavy handed with the octopus. You can use shrimp, mussels, oysters, calamari, fish, kimchi, cheese, mochi as well! I know takoyaki purists are going to be aghast at this creation but my stomach feels no regret.

Recipe for Batter

• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon dashi powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 beaten egg
• Vegetable oil/spray for the pan.
• 1/2 cup – 1 cup chopped cooked octopus/shrimp/calamari
• 1 tablespoon minced pickled ginger
• 3 tablespoons diced scallions
• Kewpie Mayo
• Okonomiyaki sauce
• Shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
• Aonori (green seaweed powder)

1. Mix the flour, water, soy sauce, dashi powder, baking powder, and egg together. Add ginger, scallions, octopus, and scallions into the batter.
2. Heat and oil a taiyaki pan over medium high heat. Pour the batter in and allow to cook until golden, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Remove and serve hot with okonomiyaki sauce, mayo, shaved bonito flakes, and aonori powder.
4. If you don’t have aonori powder, running nori sheets through the food processor is a good substitute.