Taiyaki cakes

Indulge in your favorite Japanese sweet street food with this easy taiyaki recipe. Filled with sweet red azuki beans, taiyaki are delicious fish-shaped snacks described as a cross between a waffle and a cake. A familiar sight at school fairs and stalls throughout Japan, cooked on a hot plate shaped like a bream (or “tai” in Japanese) – these snacks are great fun to prepare and eat.

150 g of wheat flour
2/3 tablespoon of baking powder
1 egg
180 ml of milk
40 g of sugar
250 g of red azuki bean paste
vegetable oil
any other fillings (optional)

Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl, stirring 2-3 times to ensure even mixing.

Lightly beat the egg in a separate bowl. Add the sugar, beating it together with the egg, then add the milk and mix well.

Add egg mixture to flour and mix until combined. Don’t overdo it.

Lightly oil the taiyaki pan and heat over medium heat. Pour a thin layer of batter over both fish on one side of the pan. Place a tablespoon of the red azuki bean paste in the center of the fish halves in the dough, then spoon some of the dough on top of the red bean paste until it is covered. Close the taiyaki pan.

Reduce heat to low and turn the pan every two minutes to ensure the taiyaki is cooked evenly on both sides. Once cooked, serve and enjoy.

Tips and information
– Don’t worry if the batter spills a little when you turn the taiyaki pan over. Spilled dough can be easily cut off once the taiyaki is cooked.
– We used red bean paste for our recipe, but you can use any filling you like, savory or sweet. Popular alternatives to red bean paste include ham and cheese, custard, chocolate, curry, and even okonomiyaki.
– If you’re short on time, you can replace the taiyaki dough with pancake mix.