So.
Here you have today's lunch. A typical Japanese snack. Takoyaki, or octopus balls.
You can buy eight for roughly five bucks. Each one is the size of a golf ball and they are covered in a sweetish brown sauce, powdered seaweed, a pile of fish flakes and mayonaise.
You also get a sharp stick for poking. Takoyaki is mostly a non-sweet batter that is cooked in a special pan until the outside is all crusty. But hidden inside you'll find a big chunk of octopus.
And here's another shot.
They are tasty, filling, and a wonderful alternative to a burger and fried or a bag of chips. Now, if only I can get my parents to try them, we'll have one adventure under our belts.
14 comments:
Does octopus taste like anything else? My impression is that it would be a bit rubbery. At least the animal doesn't have sweet brown eyes!
Ha ha, sweet brown eyes. I know. I actually think octopi are darn cute actually. Rubbery about nails it. I keep telling my son that I wish they made them with a big hunk of cheese. Mmmmm....everything should be made with a big hunk of cheese.
Phew! So these are octopus balls as in our chicken balls... not octopus balls as in our Westerners' Rocky Mountain Oysters, or Calf fries or Prairie Oysters.. etc. It's easy to mistype "tentacles" in either event. ;)
Haha, I did eat "fish" balls once...it was also translated as fish sperm. No really!
http://kappanohe.blogspot.com/2007/02/guess-what-i-ate-today.html
I love takoyaki and found myself wanting to go to a festival and buy some. I can almost smell the tang of the smoke I associate with them. Thanks for the memories!
A Mexican friend of ours in Japan used to make seviche from tako, and it was great! Try this some time, if you ever get tired of eating octopus Japanese-style.
Mary, that sounds delicious! Now, I need to go out and find someone who can make it for me. (~0^)/
I love octopus! Stands to reason that i would love octopus balls - however, it is always interesting to me that the Japanese love to put mayo on so many things that I don't think really need it. Instead of mayo, give me some tabasco!
You're a braver soul than I am--I tried octopus once, and promised the universe I wouldn't do it again, LOL. I'm on the verge of veggie anyway, but more octopus just might seal the deal.;)
ello: You sound just like my husband, ha ha!
plaidearthworm: I think I'm an evolving veggie. I used to be no-meat for a two year stint in high school. But these days I get physical ill when I cook meat. Just that smell. Fascinating. Luckily octopuses (ocotopi?) don't smell.
It looks pretty tasty to me. Try shaming your folks into trying it.
Tell them I double-dog-dared them. :)
I will most definitely do that! Mom, maybe. Dad...ha ha ha.
So glad I'm not the only one who can't stand the smell of cooking meat! I also can't stand the feel of raw meat. I've never made a meatloaf in my life, because I can't stick my hands in a bowl of hamburger. Eeeewwww.
And the strange thing is I never used to be this way. Even when I was a (lazy) vegetarian back in high school, I still liked meat. But now....*shiver*
Mm, sounds delicious. I can do without the mayo--but sesame seeds are another matter. Sesame is probably my favorite flavor. =3
Hey, have your parents tried calamari? It's batter-fried squid, and it's SUPER popular at most steakhouses in New Jersey/New York (the extent of my experience, haha). If your parents are a bit hesitant about trying some takoyaki, but are OK with eating calamari, try to explain that takoyaki is basically calamari with sauce. Good luck with 'em!
Post a Comment