Japanese cubeFood

I started out my new year’s resolution to try and do a healthy diet and I chose the Japanese Diet. Which I believe is the most healthies diet there is…that’s why they’re only 3% of their population that is overweight, compaired to the U.S.’s 30%…yikes!

 For the past week starting January 1st., I started eating all Japanese food, from sashimi, white rice, miso soup, tofu etc… and limiting my red meat intake. I gotta tell ya, I’ve been feelin’ pretty good! I’ve also been reading Naomi Moriyama’s: Japanese Women Don’t Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother’s Tokyo Kitchen which is an excellent book if you’re “turnin’ Japanese”

 

Sushi making isn’t as complicated as everyone would think. All you need is rice, some few good pieces of raw tuna or salmon or whatever fish you prefer, cucumber, nori wraps or sea weed strips, soy sauce and wasabi and you’ve got yourself your own sushi bar…and for the fraction of the cost of what these things actually would cost in Japanese Restaurants…yeouch!

So for people who are too squirmish to eat raw fish…Try making fried Octopus Balls or Takoyaki. Since I live in a place where nothing interesting ever happens, I tried substituting it with squid instead. Seriously…my area, too many rich people that would barf if they see squid or octopus tentacles…ugh!

So here’s the recipe…enjoy and tell me what you think!

 Fried Octopus Balls (Takoyaki)

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs. squid, cleaned and chopped
• 1/4 cup dried sakura ebi (red shrimp)
• cooking oil
• chopped negi (or scallions) (to taste)
• tenkasu (or rice crispies) (to taste)

[Batter]:

• 2 1/2 cup dashi soup (or fish stock)
• 15g powdered katsuo-bushi (shaved dried bonito)
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs

[Sauce]:

• commercial takoyaki sauce
• or worcestershire sauce
• or mayonnaise (Best Foods or Hellman’s)

PREPARATION:

Mix flour, dashi soup, and eggs in a bowl to make batter. Thickness of the batter should be like potage soup. Put oil inside cups of a takoyaki grill pan. Pour batter in the cups to the full.  Add chopped squid, and green onion in each hole. Grill takoyaki balls, turning with a pick. When takoyaki become rounds and brown, remove them from the pan and place in a plate. Put sauce and mayonnaise on takoyaki.

**note: Takoyaki pans can be purchaged at specialty asian food stores or at amazon.com 

Cooking time: 10-20 minutes

Servings: 50-60 pieces (4-5 persons)