Balls

I wanted an aebleskiver pan but despite the fact these originate in Denmark I could only find suppliers in the States. It made me cross to think that something that should be almost local to me here in the UK or France would have to be shipped such a long way.



So, with perfect logic, I decided to buy the Japanese equivalent, a Takoyaki Pan, reasoning that an authentic Japanese pan might have to be ferried half way around the world but at least I'd have the real thing. I ordered it from the Japan Centre in London and with postage it cost me about £35.

It was made in China.



The street food Takoyaki is made with octopus, or sometimes shrimp along with a selection of usual Japanese flavourings, ginger, spring onion, dashi in the batter. This is obviously not vegan and I've yet to perfect a substitute filling because this is only my second attempt with the pan.

For these, I made a simple batter of self raising flour, nutritional yeast and soy milk, flavoured with grated ginger, chopped shallot (no spring onions) and a little finely shredded cabbage. The texture is good and the flavour has potential although once dressed with the traditional Japanese toppings of mayonnaise and brown sauce it's hard to imagine any flavour really shining through them.



Japanese brown sauce isn't quite Worcestershire, nor Daddies, nor Plum sauce but occupies some special area in between them all. I don't have any and used some of our own "brown sauce" based on green tomatoes and heavily spiced. It's a good substitute but use vegan Worcestershire varieties if you have nothing else.

I skipped the mayo, these babies are already mighty greasy.



Fried food, you've just got to love it.