Takoyaki are octopus-filled spherical dumplings cooked in a speciality cast-iron mould pan. The batter (thin dashi batter with green onion, tenkasu, beni shoga) is poured into oiled moulds, a piece of boiled octopus dropped in each, then the balls are rotated 90° repeatedly until the outside is golden and crisp while the interior remains molten.
Street-food serving
Filled into a tray of 6–8, topped with takoyaki sauce, Japanese mayo, aonori, and katsuobushi. Eaten hot enough that the interior burns — the temperature differential (crisp shell, liquid core) is deliberate.
Home variation
Without a takoyaki pan, the batter cannot achieve a sphere; the closest substitute is a cupcake tin or æbleskiver pan, producing a similar filling in a different shape.