Have you ever eaten takoyaki? If you haven’t, the concept of eating an octopus might gross you out, but anyone who’s tried knows that the soft texture of the takoyaki is enough to change anyone’s minds.
If you aren’t familiar, takoyaki is a round, fried food made from batter and small pieces of tender octopus.Takoyaki has a savoury flavour paired with a chewy texture that just feels like it melts right into your mouth!
Takoyaki is made with a takoyaki pan, a griddle made of cast iron. The heavy iron evenly heats and cooks the takoyaki, which are then turned with a pick during the heating process to pull the uncooked batter at the base of the cavity.
In 1935, takoyaki was first popularised in Osaka, where a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo was credited with its invention in the very same year. The inspiration for takoyaki came from akashiyaki, a small round dumpling that comes from the city of Akashi in the Hyogo Prefecture made of an egg-rich batter and octopus. Initially, takoyaki was popular in the Kansai region, however it later spread to the Kanto region and soon, other areas of Japan.
Takoyaki is considered a Japanese street food and is very popular at summer festivals, often prepared in food stands. At those stands, takoyaki is often served in paper dishes resembling little paper boats. However, takoyaki is also popular in convenience stores, food trucks, and even in peoples homes!
Fair warning though, takoyaki is often served piping hot, so don’t immediately put them in your mouth! Spear the ball and blow at it before eating. But you don’t have to go to Japan and wait for a summer festival to enjoy a serving of takoyaki! We at Sakae Sushi offer you a warm, chewy and buttery takoyaki for $2.60 at our website at www.sakaedelivery.com!