Takoyaki

Ingredients:

Octopus

• 1.5 tbsp. dashi broth
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup premium flour
• 1.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp coarse salt
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 110 g boiled octopus, cut into 1 cm pieces.
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup tenkasu (tempura pieces)
• 2 tablespoons dried beni-shoga or kizami beni-shoga (pickled red ginger), minced

For serving

• Takoyaki sauce
• Mayonnaise, preferably Japanese Kewpie (in a plastic bottle)
• Aonori (dried seaweed, crushed or flaked)
• Katsuobushi (dried tuna flakes)

Dasi

• One 10cm square piece of kombu (dried seaweed; about 10g)
• 3/4 cup tightly packed katsuobushi (about 15g)
• Special equipment: takoyaki pan, 1-2 wooden skewers or chopsticks, and a pastry brush

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine the dashi and eggs. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and whisk until smooth. Transfer the batter to a liter measuring cup or a bowl with a spout. Heat a takoyaki pan over medium heat. Generously brush the wells and the entire surface with oil. Fill each well about three-quarters full with batter.
2. Working quickly, add 2-3 pieces of octopus, a pinch of green onion, a pinch of tenkasu, and a pinch of beni shog to each well. If the dough is frying too quickly, reduce the heat slightly.
3. Spoon a little more batter onto each serving. It's okay if some of it spills over the edges. Cook until the bottom of each takoyaki is set but the inside is still moist, about 3 minutes.
4. Working quickly, use 1-2 skewers or chopsticks (I find it easier to use two) and flip each takoyaki about 90 degrees, cutting into the set dough on the surface between the holes and scraping it into each hole as you go to form a ball. Allow the dough to ooze out of the balls, and when it begins to set, flip them completely and cook, turning them regularly, until evenly golden and cooked through, another 3-4 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on the size of the takoyaki).
5. Innings:
   
   Place the balls on a serving platter, drizzle with takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise, and top with aonori and katsuobushi. Serve immediately and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

6. Dasi

   
   In a medium saucepan, combine the kombu and 3 cups of cold water and let sit for 30 minutes (you can skip this step if you're short on time, but the flavor will be less intense). Heat over medium heat until the water is almost simmering but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Discard the kombu. Gradually stir in the katsuobushi, bring to a boil over high heat, and then immediately remove from heat. Let sit for about 10 minutes, without stirring.
7. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or quart-size measuring cup. Do not press the katsuobushi, or the broth will become cloudy and/or bitter. The dashi is best used immediately, but it can also be stored in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Yield: approximately 2.5 cups. You can substitute 1.5 teaspoons of instant dashi powder, such as Ajinomoto's Hondashi, mixed with 1.5 cups of water.