Takoyaki

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File:Takoyaki - Osaka - 2022 Dec 30.webm

Takoyaki being made in Osaka, 2022

Takoyaki (Template:Langx or Template:Lang) is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special molded pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger (beni shoga), and green onion (negi).<ref>Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref><ref name="enc">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> The balls are brushed with takoyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce) and mayonnaise, and then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi).

Template:Nihongo is one of the cooking methods in Japanese cuisine, meaning 'to grill', and can be found in the names of other dishes in Japanese cuisine such as okonomiyaki and ikayaki (other famous Osakan dishes).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Typically, it is eaten as a snack or between meals, but in some areas it is served as a side dish with rice. It is an example of Template:Transliteration (Template:Transliteration in the Kansai dialect), or flour-based Japanese cuisine.

History

File:Aizuya-Headoffice.jpg

Aizuya Main Branch in Osaka

Takoyaki was first popularized in Osaka,<ref name="kokugo">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> where a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo is credited with its invention in 1935. In the early 20th century, in Osaka, there were snacks called Template:Nihongo and Template:Nihongo that contained pieces of beef, konjac or other ingredients.<ref name="rekishikaido">Template:Cite web</ref> Meanwhile, in Akashi in Hyōgo Prefecture, there was a snack made of an egg-rich batter and octopus, later named Template:Nihongo.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Endo combined them and began selling it under the name takoyaki.<ref name="rekishikaido"/> It spread throughout Osaka, with various stalls making improvements, and after the Pacific War, the style of eating takoyaki with sauce and mayonnaise was established. Endo's takoyaki shop, named Aizuya after his hometown, still exists today and serves the original takoyaki without sauce or mayonnaise.<ref name="rekishikaido"/> Today, many shops offer different flavors of takoyaki, including ones filled with cheese or spicy seasonings.

Takoyaki was initially popular in the Kansai region, and later spread to the Kantō region and other areas of Japan. Takoyaki is associated with yatai street food stalls, and there are many well-established takoyaki specialty restaurants, particularly in the Kansai region. Takoyaki is now sold at commercial outlets, such as supermarkets and 24-hour convenience stores.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It is also very popular in Taiwanese cuisine due to the historical influence of Japanese culture.<ref>"In Taiwan, top chefs are building on a long history of culinary exchange with Japan" Template:Webarchive, The Japan Times. Retrieved 2018-02-28.</ref> In recent years, takoyaki can be eaten with various toppings and fillings (such as cheese or bacon<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>) as its cultural span has evolved in western parts of the world. The food, known as "octopus balls", quickly became popular throughout Japan.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Takoyaki pan

A Template:Nihongo or—much more rarely—takoyaki Template:Lang is typically a griddle made of cast iron with hemispherical molds, similar to a traditional Yorkshire pudding tray.<ref name="enc"/> The heavy iron evenly heats the takoyaki, which are turned with a pick during the heating process to pull the uncooked batter to the base of the rounded cavity. Commercial gas-fueled takoyaki cookers are used at Japanese festivals or by street vendors. For home use, electric versions resemble a hotplate; stovetop versions are also available, and many incorporate a non-stick coating to facilitate turning.Template:Citation needed

In popular culture

Takoyaki is the favorite food of Taruruto, the title character of the 1988 manga series Magical Taruruto. The food plays a major role in several episodes of the anime and a single tie-in film, and also serves as the many collectibles and potential platforms in several tie-in video games.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A children's book named Takoyaki Mantoman, published in the 1990s and later adapted into an anime television series produced by Studio Pierrot that aired from April 1998 to September 1999, focuses on a group of takoyaki fighting crime.Template:Citation needed

In the Animal Crossing series of video games, there is a villager named Zucker, based on takoyaki. He is an octopus with a round head resembling takoyaki, he generally wears a yukata, and his home is inspired by a traditional Japanese summer festival.Template:Citation needed