I love Takoyaki-Osaka’s popular local specialities

“Takoyaki” (Octpus dumplings) is  one of Osaka’s local popular local specialities.

It is a baked ball of wheat flour of three to five centimeter diameter, into which a small piece of octpus is put.

Not only eating at a stand and a restaurant, but also cooking at home.

I have a takoyaki pan and they say every house int the city owns one.

By most account, takoyaki was created in 1935, when an Osaka restaurant cooked a batter made from flour and stock in the shape of ball, with diced octpus inside.

I sometimes eat rice with takoyaki as the main dish.

Many foreighners surprised that, because that would be like eating rice with bread as entree.

I enjoy takoyaki with variatinons.

I use sausage, rice cake and cheese, shrimp instead of octpus.

Not only that, I cook spanish “ajilio” -dish fried in garlic oil with a takoyaki pan.

I think takoyaki has very possible food.

blowfish

Japanese like eating “fugu”, or blowfish, but foreighners surprised at eating poisonous fish.

In the old days, eating  blowfish, was often deadly.

Japan’s Edo government frequently banned consumption of the poisonous fish to prevent unnecessary militaly losses.

Today, blowfish preparation is strictly regulated, so it is safe to eat it in restaurants with licensed processing specialists.

 

 

I hear that Osaka accounts for about 60% of the blowfish consumed in Japan.

Most people call the fish fugu, but in Osaka they use the term “teppou”, meaning gun, because it can kill –at least when it is prepared incorrectly.

“Fugu nabe”, or blowfish stew , is called “tecchiri” In Osaka.

It is a shortened form of “chiri nabe”, a simple hot pot, with “teppou”.

Blowfish has a very light flavor.

It tastes great raw, as sashimi, or deep-fried.