Skip to main content

Recipe of the Day


Takoyaki - Bento.com

If you ever travel to Osaka, Japan there is one thing you must try. Takoyaki or Octopus balls. I first became aware of these little morsels courtesy of Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservations. I highly recommend the show to any of you out there who are foodies like me. Anyways, click READ MORE to see a recipe for this favorite food of Japan.

Read More

Ingredients:

* 200g chopped boiled octopus
* cooking oil
* benishoga (pickled ginger) (to taste)
* chopped negi (or scallions) (to taste)
* tenkasu (or rice crispies) (to taste)

[Batter]:

* 450cc water
* 1 piece konbu (kelp), 10cm square
* 15g powdered katsuo-bushi (shaved dried bonito)
* 200g flour
* 2 eggs

[Sauce]:

* commercial takoyaki sauce
* or worcestershire sauce
* or bulldog sauce
* or mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman's)


Directions - [Batter]

1. Clean the konbu by wiping it lightly with a cloth.

2. Cut the konbu into 2-centimeter-wide partial strips against the grain, but don't cut all the way to the edge -- see illustration.

3. Add the water and konbu to a pot, and cook uncovered over a slow fire.

4. Just before the water starts to boil, remove the konbu from the pot. The liquid should be a light yellowish or greenish color.

5. Add shaved katsuobushi to the water as it starts to boil.

6. After the liquid has been boiling a minute or two, turn off the heat.

7. Quickly remove the shaved katsuobushi from the liquid with a filter or strainer or cloth. Try to remove the katsuobushi while it's still floating on the surface, before it has a chance to sink.

8. Allow the liquid to cool, then add the liquid, flour and eggs to a bowl and mix.

Directions - [Takoyaki]

Make a small test batch of 4 or 5 takoyaki at first, to check the consistency of the batter. Add more flour or water as needed.

1. Oil the takoyaki pan.

2. Add pieces of chopped octopus to each cup.

3. Pour in the batter.

4. Add benishoga, negi and tenkasu to taste.

5. Cook the takoyaki pieces until they achieve the desired degree of firmness, turning them over frequently.

6. Remove from the pan and serve with sauce and/or mayonnaise.

Enjoy! Remember if you have a recipe you want to share or one you are looking for but can't find send us a message and we will post it for you. Pictures courtesy LWY and T.Hagihara

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Austin's New Hangout for the Filipino Foodie

We moved to Austin, Texas! and have been searching for new places to find Authentic Filipino food near our house. So we found a couple places and went on a foodie adventure. Kapatad Kitchen and Cafe popped up in our search. So off we went to try it out.  Location:  3742 Far W Blvd Suite 113, Austin, TX 78731 Hours:  Closed on Mondays Tuesdays 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM Wednesday-Sunday 11AM - 2:30 PM & 4:30 PM-8:00 PM Phone number:  512-338-6003 You know the saying, "First impression is the last impression". Well here is our first impression! 1. Entry: You are greeted with a welcoming smile by the staff. 2. Decor: It's simple but has a culturally sophisticated feel when you sit down. There are framed photos presenting the Philippine culture all over the wall. 3. Food: First dishes we tried were sisig, Lechon kawali, and dinuguan (pork blood pudding). All I can say is, Yummy in my tummy! I haven't had authentic tasting sisig in a long time! Portions are significant and...

Cooking Vietnamese Pho with Chef Quang Le

Cooking with Chef Quang Le Researching food and spices is a part of our family's daily routine since we ventured into the food industry. Learning about the different components of food makes us appreciate every dish, snack, and drink that we consume. We take every opportunity that we can to continue learning about the flavors of the world. This weekend, I organized a class with a local Vietnamese chef who loves to entertain and educate people through food. Chef Quang Le, co-owner of Clay Pot in Waco Texas, had agreed to teach a class on how to cook traditional Vietnamese Pho.  The class is sponsored by the Association of Asian-American Women in San Angelo, Texas. It was such a refreshing class complete with food history, health benefits, recipe book, and entertainment.  So What is Vietnamese Pho Soup? Vietnamese Pho Soup is considered the national dish of Vietnam. It can be seen as a mirror that reflects the heritage of the Vietnamese people and their w...

Japanese Dorayaki Minis

Dorayaki Yummy's Japanase Dorayaki (also known as Mikasa) is one of Japan's popular classic confectioneries. It is red bean paste sandwiched between two pancakes. Oh that's nothing special! You say. Oh but it is! Sometimes the simpliest things in life are the most overlooked.  Dorakayi can also be made with other paste. One of our house favorites is with  red bean  and chestnuts paste. Another is to make it with  matcha  and  coarse red bean paste . Your tastebuds is your imagination. Add chocolate to it or peanut butter. Here's a simple recipe to making your own dorayaki. TADA! DONE! No seriously! it really is that simple but I will humor you with a recipe because we all have our own way of making pancakes. And me, being me, I have a habit of tweeking just about any recipe I come across. Of course, you want to try the original recipe before you go around exprimenting with it. Because sometimes, THAT recipe is just perfect for you...