Cooking Takoyaki

Considering the great popularity of the takoyaki octopus dumplings, you may be inclined to believe they are some sort of old, traditional dish, while in fact takoyaki was invented in 1935, by a street vendor from Osaka, Tomekichi Endo. However, it wasn't really his invention... a similar food, called akashiyaki or tamagoyaki, was prepared before in Akashi, in the Hyogo Prefecture...

Everywhere you go in Japan, the street stalls cooking takoyaki are an attraction for the passersby, because putting aside the delicious taste, the cooking is a spectacle by itself. The dumplings are cooked on a special iron-cast pan and the cooks are turning them extremely fast, with great dexterity. And street is filled with the appetizing smell...