Takoyaki Pan Heaven: Serving Up 3 Crazy Recipes in Ball Form

Takoyaki Pan Heaven: Serving Up 3 Crazy Recipes in Ball Form

•Omelet Poppers

•Pancake Poppers

•Crunchy, Cheesy, Savory, Tex-Mex Taco Bites

•Classic Takoyaki

Japanese Omelet Poppers: Bite-Size Omuraisu Heaven

The first spherical transformation recipe that will make you scream “kawaii” are these cute Japanese omuraisu (omelet rice) poppers. Traditionally, omuraisu is served in the shape reminiscent of an American football. However, for this takoyaki pan appetizer version, they’re a lot more fun to make and easier to eat—especially for parties.

•Takoyaki pan

•Fry pan

•Plastic wrap

•3 Eggs

•1/2 Cup of frozen mixed vegetables

•2–3 Tbsp. water

•Pinch of salt

•1 tsp. butter or vegetable oil

•1/4 Onion (chopped)

•1 Clove of garlic

•1 Serving of rice

•1 Cube of consommé (chicken or beef stock is okay)

•2–3 Tbsp. ketchup

1.Heat and grease your fry pan at medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic to sauté until slightly browned.

2.Add frozen vegetables, 3 Tbsp. of water, 1 cube of consommé, and ketchup. Cook on med-low until consommé dissolves.

3.Return the heat back to medium and add the rice. Cook until everything is combined.

4.Taking the plastic wrap, mold the rice into small balls for the filling. Set aside the rice balls on a plate.

Forming the Omelet Poppers

1. Heat your takoyaki pan and grease with butter or oil.

2. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and begin filling each spherical mold a 1/3 of the way full with the eggs.

3. Pick up the plate and tilt it on each side to spread the egg evenly around the mold.

4. Drop the prepared rice balls into each of the holes. Now carefully take the back of your spoon and press down onto the filled holes in a scooping motion. The half-spheres should be able to slide out easily. Set them aside back on a plate.

5. Next, fill 1/3 of each mold again with egg batter. Then, just like before, tilt the tray to coat each mold.

6. Drop the rice and egg halves that were set aside into the egg filled molds while tucking them in to seal the rice completely with egg.

7. After the egg has thoroughly cooked and each ball has been evenly coated, transfer the omelet poppers from the pan to a plate.

8. Decorate the poppers with ketchup and serve.

Takoyaki Pan or Aebleskiver? A Little Taste of Europe in Japan

There is some talk on the Internet about the difference between a takoyaki pan and an aebleskiver. Both function the same, however, you will probably find the aebleskiver to have larger spherical molds. The other main difference is that in Japan this type of pan has primarily been used for savory treats while in Europe it has a tradition of creating sweet treats. In the next recipe I pay homage to this European cousin by creating a dessert takoyaki that can be customized however you like.

•Takoyaki pan

•Toothpicks or wooden skewers

•Instant pancake mix (or from scratch)

•Fillings and toppings of your choice

For the pancake batter, it is up to personal preference, but I use Morinagas pancake mix. Because when you live in the land of maximum convenience (i.e., Tokyo), who wants to go through the trouble of measuring 10 different ingredients?

Now that you have your ingredi… wait let's not forget the fillings and toppings! For my pancake balls, I like to fill them with either Nutella, bananas or peanut butter, and then top them with either maple syrup or Nutella. Be creative and make them with whatever you crave.

1.Fill 2/3 of each spherical mold with batter. If time is not of importance, or you're eating for one, fill only a few at a time so that each serving stays steaming hot.

2.If you choose banana as your filling, make sure to reduce the amount of batter for each ball. This is to prevent overflow when placing the banana in. If you like a less-cooked banana, slightly freeze or chill the banana to avoid cooking (or use your ninja-like skills to insert them just before rotating the balls).

3.When the batter starts to rise and slightly bubble, slowly rotate the ball using the wooden skewer so that the filling can spread around to create the other half of the sphere. Do not wait until the batter is fully cooked.

4.Use the wooden skewer or toothpick to continue rotating until all sides are lightly golden brown.

5.Transfer the pancake balls onto a plate and enjoy with your favorite toppings!

Easy to eat!

Tacoyaki? Japan Goes Tex-Mex

So, you don't like pancakes? No big deal.

You hate Takoyaki? I'm judging you, but no problem!

There is an endless list of creative ways to make your favorite foods with a takoyaki pan. All you need is an outer shell and a mouthwatering filling.

For the following recipe, be prepared for extremely crunchy and cheesy goodness on the outside, and spicy, flavorful taco beef on the inside. You do not need to be a Michelin-star chef to master these tasty packages from south of the border. And the best part is, unlike a chimichanga, they aren’t even deep fried. Here's how to make them.

•Takoyaki pan

•Toothpicks or wooden skewers

•Taco meat

•Shredded cheese

•Ultra-thin shumai wrappers

•Bowl of water

•Traditional Mexican taco toppings

For the stuffing, choose your favorite taco meat recipe and prepare it beforehand. For mine, I use ground beef seasoned with Trader Joe's Taco Seasoning (smuggled from the United States).

1.Dip the shumai wrapper in water to remove the excess flour and to help make it easier to cook in the pan.

2.Take a teaspoonful of your taco meat and fill the shumai wrapper. Carefully wrap it into a ball. Make as many as you would like to eat and then set them aside.

3.Heat and grease your takoyaki pan.

4.Drop a taco ball into each of the spherical molds, frequently turning the balls with the toothpicks or skewers for even browning.

5.Once all sides have browned slightly, sprinkle cheese over the balls. As the cheese melts, try to coat each one thoroughly.

6.Cook until golden brown and transfer to a cooling rack or plate.

7.Top with cheese, guacamole, salsa, or sour cream and shout, "Arriba!"

The Traditional Takoyaki Recipe

Perhaps there are some of you reading these recipes who have yet to try takoyaki. For those of you who aren’t able to experience this amazing street food firsthand, with the right ingredients, an at-home version is 95% as good.

•Takoyaki pan

•Toothpicks or wooden skewers

•Mixing bowl

•Instant takoyaki mix

•1 Egg

•Minced green onions

•Fresh boiled octopus (can be substituted with sausage or cheese)

•Red pickled ginger (benishoga)

•Tenkasu tempura flakes

•Kewpie mayonnaise

•Seaweed flakes (aonori)

•Bonito flakes

•Takoyaki sauce (a.k.a. okonomiyaki sauce)

The toppings for at-home takoyaki are up to personal preference. Since I don’t like benishoga or tempura flakes, you won’t seem them pictured here. Also, remember to explore new ideas for toppings apart from what is listed above—get creative!

Directions

1.Prepare the takoyaki batter. I use Oomai's Instant Takoyaki Mix, which requires 1 egg and 600 ml of water for a 200 gram packet of takoyaki flour.

2.Heat and grease your takoyaki pan.

3.Pour in the takoyaki batter so that each spherical mold is full. It’s okay to slightly overfill the molds.

4.Sprinkle green onion and the rest of your toppings over the pan.

5.Place 1 piece of octopus, or your filling of choice, into each of the molds.

6.After 2–3 minutes, using your takoyaki pick, separate and divide the overflowing batter for each mold.

7.Once the bottoms of the takoyaki have slightly firmed, take your takoyaki pick and flip the takoyaki 90 degrees so that the middle batter can spread to form the shape of the sphere. Flip again until a ball is formed.

8.If the ball is still a light undercooked color, don't worry; just continue flipping with the pick until they are a nice golden brown.

9.Transfer the steaming hot takoyaki onto a plate and drizzle with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

10.Finally, sprinkle with green seaweed flakes and finish it off with dried bonito flakes.

After making Japanese omelet poppers, desert balls, Tex-Mex tacoyaki, and traditional takoyaki, you can see that there are so many unconventional ways of using a takoyaki pan. If there is a food you love or a food you crave, try making it spherical—your creativity is the limit. Now you have no excuse to let that takoyaki maker collect dust under your kitchen sink.

Itadakimasu!