Kimchi Octopus Balls (Korean-Style Takoyaki with Fermented Kimchi)
Kimchi takoyaki uses a thin batter of takoyaki flour, water, and egg poured into a takoyaki pan, with each well filled with boiled octopus, drained kimchi, and scallion, then rotated with a skewer into spheres. The outside crisps while the inside stays creamy, and the octopus's chewy resistance pairs with the kimchi's spicy tang within the mild batter. Excess kimchi liquid must be squeezed out to keep the batter from thinning, and leaving the balls untouched for the first minute allows them to set into clean rounds. They are finished with takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Dice octopus and kimchi into 1 cm pieces, lightly squeezing kimchi moisture.
- 2
Whisk flour mix, water, and egg into a thin takoyaki batter.
- 3
Heat the takoyaki pan, oil each well generously, and pour batter to the brim.
- 4
Add octopus, kimchi, and scallion; rotate each ball 90 degrees as edges set.
- 5
Add extra batter into gaps and keep rotating until round.
- 6
When crispy outside, plate and top with sauce, mayo, and bonito flakes.
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