How to Make Perfect Takoyaki at Home 🐙 | Japanese Street Food Recipe

How to Make Perfect Takoyaki at Home 🐙 | Japanese Street Food Recipe

Turn on subtitles in your language! Hi, I’m Natsuko. I’m a regular 
office worker living in Tokyo. Today, I’m going to make Takoyaki – one 
of the most popular street foods in Japan! While I’m cooking them on the grill, 
I’ll also do a bit of chatting. So if you’re only here for the 
recipe, you can skip that part. Alright then, let’s get started! First, crack the eggs into 
a bowl and whisk them well. Then, slowly pour in the dashi stock, mixing as you go. Add the flour little by 
little, making sure there are no lumps. As for the dashi, the instructions are 
usually written on the bottle of white dashi or on the package of kombu dashi powder. This time, I used white dashi, 
diluted with water at a 9 to 1 ratio. Next, season the batter with soy sauce and mirin. Once it’s ready, let the batter 
rest in the refrigerator. If possible, leave it overnight – it will 
become smoother and taste even better. While it’s resting, let’s prepare the fillings. Today, I’m keeping it simple with just the 
basics: octopus and finely chopped cabbage. But if you want more variety, sausages, cheese, spicy cod roe, squid, or shrimp are all 
great choices – you really can’t go wrong. First, cut the octopus into bite-sized pieces.
As for the cabbage, I usually find chopping it a bit troublesome, so I always use my handy ‘Bunbun 
Chopper’ from MUJI to make it quick and easy. All the prep is done! Now, let’s get ready to 
start grilling the Takoyaki. I like to take it easy and 
enjoy a drink while cooking, so I bought a portable gas stove just for this. It’s my very first time using 
it, so I’m really excited! Up until now, I’ve always used an electric hot 
plate, but the heat was a bit weak and uneven. So I’m looking forward to seeing 
how they’ll turn out this time. Before we start cooking, 
let’s oil the takoyaki pan! I usually pour a little 
salad oil into a small dish, dip a piece of kitchen paper, 
and spread it evenly on the pan. Come to think of it, I’ve never really 
seen how other people do this at home. If you have a different way, 
let me know—I’d love to hear! Once the pan is hot enough, let’s add the octopus! If you hear that sizzling sound, 
it means the pan is ready. Next, pour in the batter—fill 
it all the way up, even to the point of overflowing. That’s totally fine! Finally, add the other ingredients.
Since I’m making the classic version today, I used cabbage, pickled ginger, 
green onion, and tempura flakes. So colorful already—and it looks super delicious! Now, let’s keep cooking!
Be careful not to touch the takoyaki until the edges start to set. In a previous video, I mentioned that I 
think at least a thousand families in Japan are probably having takoyaki parties every 
single day. Takoyaki is really that popular. Back when I lived in a company dorm, 
all my coworkers from the same year were in the same building.
Since we were new employees, we didn’t have much overtime, so 
we would often finish work on time, gather at someone’s place, and 
have takoyaki parties together. Looking back, those were such youthful days.
I’ve never been the type who loves loud parties, but I enjoyed just chatting quietly with everyone.
Luckily, many of my current coworkers are in IT, so they’re also more laid-back, 
which feels comfortable. Both guys and girls would hang 
out, talking about love, work, friendships, relationships—really 
about everything. It was so much fun. People often say ‘childhood core memory,’ right? But I think those youthful memories from our 
early working years are just as precious. And when you cook together—like with 
takoyaki or even gyoza—there’s always that one person who’s unbelievably good at it.
I can’t help but wonder why they’re not working as a professional gyoza chef or takoyaki 
master instead of being an office worker! Now, looks like they’re ready! Let’s take out the first 
eight and put them on a plate. Perfectly round, crispy, and 
they look sooo delicious!! And now, it’s time for the finishing touches! First, drizzle the takoyaki sauce all over.
Next, add plenty of mayonnaise. Since I want to make it like negi-mayo style, 
I’m topping it with a lot of green onion. Finally, sprinkle on some 
bonito flakes—and it’s done! The lighting in my dining room is a little too 
moody, so I brought the takoyaki into the kitchen. But wow—they look sooo 
delicious! This is the best!! Alright then, time to dig in!
Let me just refill my beer… Itadakimasu—let’s eat! Usually, I only eat takoyaki at summer 
festivals or when I visit Osaka, or when making it together with friends.
So being able to cook it at home by myself, with my favorite fillings and as 
many as I want—it feels amazing! Crispy on the outside, gooey on 
the inside… it’s just so delicious. Finished my first plate—so 
let’s go for a second round! Honestly, I feel like I could 
eat endless amounts of these. When you buy takoyaki at a shop, it’s 
usually around 800 yen for eight pieces. But when you make it at home, you can eat as 
many as you want—and that’s just the best! Just look at this!
So shiny and delicious… absolutely the best!
I love Japanese food! Isn’t it fun to cook and eat right at the 
table with a hot plate or a portable gas stove? It makes an ordinary meal suddenly feel 
like a party, and I really love that. And this takoyaki pan isn’t just for 
takoyaki—you can also use pancake mix and add your favorite fillings, like 
chocolate, marshmallows, or banana, to make a fun little dessert party.
If you made them into something like s’mores, I bet they’d be amazing.
If anyone tries it, let me know! Actually, I’m going to Osaka this weekend! And when it comes to takoyaki, of 
course, Osaka is the place to be. I’ll probably go to my usual 
spot—Takoyaki Doraku Wanaka, the famous shop next to Namba Grand Kagetsu.
But if you have any recommendations for great takoyaki places in Osaka, please let 
me know! I’d love to check them out. If you ever end up with leftover cabbage like 
I often do, try using it for gyoza filling. Or you can make okonomiyaki—it’s another 
delicious way to enjoy lots of cabbage. Have fun with it! That’s it for today’s takoyaki!
If you try making it at home, tell me how it went—I’d be so happy to hear.
See you again soon!

## 🎥 About this video
Today I’m making **Takoyaki (たこ焼き)** — one of Japan’s most popular street foods 🐙✨
Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside… it’s comfort food at its best!
I’ll show you how to make it step by step, while chatting about everyday life in Tokyo 🏙️🍺

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## 👋 About this channel
Hi! I’m Natsuko — just a regular office worker living in Tokyo.
On this channel, I share everyday life in Japan through the eyes of a local 🏙️
You’ll get a peek into simple, real Japanese life — from cozy home cooking 🍲 to little cultural moments 🏮✨
Whether you’re learning Japanese, love Japanese food, or are just curious about daily life here,
I hope you enjoy spending time with me! 💛

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## 🐙 Takoyaki Recipe (for about 24 pieces)

🥚 Eggs – 2
🥣 Dashi stock – 2 cups (about 480 ml, white dashi diluted 9:1 with water)
🌾 All-purpose flour – 100 g
🍶 Soy sauce – 1/2 tbs
🍶 Mirin – 1/2 tbs

**Fillings & toppings**
🐙 Octopus – as much as you like
🥬 Cabbage – as much as you like
🌿 Green onion – as much as you like
🫚 Pickled red ginger (beni shoga) – as much as you like
🍘 Tempura flakes (tenkasu) – as much as you like

**For finishing**
🥢 Takoyaki sauce
🥢 Mayonnaise
🌿 Green onion (optional, for negi-mayo style)
🐟 Bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
🌱 Dried seaweed (aonori)

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## ⏰ Timeline

⏱️ 00:00 – Intro
🥚 00:22 – Making the batter
🥬 01:08 – Preparing the fillings
🔥 02:07 – Heating the takoyaki pan & cooking
🐙 03:09 – Chatting while waiting for them to cook
🍺 04:35 – Seasoning & toppings
🍽️ 05:07 – First plate ready & tasting time
🍽️ 06:02 – Second plate: toppings & eating
🍽️ 06:46 – Third plate & more chatting
💬 07:32 – Outro

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## 🔖 Hashtags
#Takoyaki #JapaneseFood #StreetFood #HomemadeRecipe #JapanLife #OsakaFood