Culinary Pearl: Convenient Taiyaki

Learn how to make taiyaki at home! Taiyaki is a fish-shaped treat commonly found in Japan and rarely found elsewhere, unless you know where to look. Taiyaki is traditionally stuffed with anko (watch video), but it can also be filled with anything you like - just about... An amateur like me makes her taiyaki with pancake batter, but if you find a recipe that calls for something else which you like better, more power to you.

Making taiyaki at home is the easiest thing to do, even if you're an amateur. I strongly recommend you do NOT try filling your taiyaki with liquid or moist fillings. This prevents the pancake batter from cooking properly. In the video, I used three fillings other than anko that I love: cream cheese, jack cheese, and Nutella. I first discovered Nutella over five years ago, when I had traveled to Scandinavia. I'm pleased to see that it's made its way over the pond to the U.S.A. and can be found in many grocery stores (including the grocery section in Target). Nutella is a hazelnut-chocolate spread, and you should not use it if you are allergic to nuts (or chocolate, you poor soul).

A taiyaki-ki (the iron mold) can be purchased online or at your local Japanese grocery market. I got mine at Mitsuwa. They cost around 20 dollars, give or take a few bucks depending upon where you buy it.

My cameralady is my dear friend and cousin, Una Morgan. Her Youtube username is Una1. Neither of us are professional photographers, so you'll have to excuse the camerawork and editing (done by me) - not to mention this entire video was shot in one take. I didn't practice anything. There is no script, and everything I said is improvised on the spot, which is why I'm adding annotations.

I hope you enjoy the video, and I hope to make more Culinary Pearl videos soon!

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• taiyaki
• anko
• nutella
• cheese
• pancakes
• cooking
• culinary arts
• japanese food
• japan
• desserts
• snacks
• wagashi
• tsubu an
• ogura an
• koshi an
• dango

[xBunnyHero]

hello, sorry to bother you, but i just have a few questions.

1. so i can see you have the molding over the flame before filling it with anything other than the oil. the flame looks like it's on low, but just to be safe, what flame setting are you using?

2. do you preheat the molding for a minute or two, or do you immediately put the ingredients in as soon as the molding touches the flame?

3. in regards to taste, i've never tried taiyaki through the method -see next post-

[DarkAgePearl]

@xBunnyHero 1) I have a dial that ranges from 10 (high) to 1 (low), and I start off with 6 and reduce to 4 halfway during cooking (usually a minute before flipping it over). 2) I don't preheat it, actually. I put the batter in first, then turn on the flame, and then put in the filling as fast as I can! ^_^;; 3) (see reply to your next comment)

[xBunnyHero]

of pancake or waffle batter. i'm just wondering if it yields a similar texture and taste to the taiyaki you would find at a festival or a street vendor?

thank you for all of your help and the awesome tutorial :]

[DarkAgePearl]

@xBunnyHero 3) Street vender taiyaki (which I've had) taste more like waffles, and what I make tastes more like pancakes. If you make waffle batter from scratch, you can get very close to street vender taste and texture. Otherwise, this method that I use taste quite similar, but the texture is softer, much softer. I hope that helps!

[shigeofthedamned]

Is it possible to make Taiyaki over a glass stove top?

[DarkAgePearl]

@shigeofthedamned I don't see why not.

[DarkAgePearl]

@00LaTiNaSk8Tr00

Other than making it convenient so that the average person can make taiyaki, I have NOT "americanized" anything. It behooves you to have at least done your homework before belittling others. News flash: there are more fillings than just anko. Walk down any street in Japan where vendors are selling these, and you'd know. Besides, my aunt is Japanese, and she complimented me on this video. Lastly, if you want to appear somewhat intelligent, use proper grammar.

[crystalclearwolf]

Sweet, do you watch teh series Cooking With Dog? It's a great series, and shows how to make taiyaki, anko, and dango, and everything else...but these looked good too

[Emerald1323]

it's like fish shaped filled pancakes! :D

[Geckomayhem]

I have taiyaki molds for my multi-toaster (taiyaki, toasted sandwiches, waffles, and onigiri). I wouldn't add cheese to chocolate, but chocolate taiyaki is a good option when you don't have azuki (red beans) on hand to make anko paste. :)

[TheMonkeesRock]

That looks kinda good when your making it but thinking about it and cheese? ew. Lol and what is it? Like a cake thing