AI-generated image
Ikayaki (Hanshin style)
いか焼き: Osaka's flat, chewy squid and egg pancake pressed between hot plates and brushed with sweet sauce
Osaka's ikayaki is nothing like the whole grilled squid sold at festivals elsewhere in Japan. In the basement food hall of the Hanshin department store at Umeda, people queue at lunchtime and on the way home for a thin, chewy pancake of batter and chopped squid, pressed flat between two scorching iron plates in seconds, brushed with sweet sauce and folded into paper. Order it "deluxe" and an egg is pressed in too. At home, a second heavy pan does the pressing. Chef's tip: chop the squid small; big pieces turn rubbery before the batter is cooked.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 5 ½ oz squid bodiescleaned and cut into 1 cm pieces
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- ½ cup dashicold
- 2 eggs
- 1 spring onion (optional)finely sliced
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Fresh ingredients (2)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Check 5 ½ oz squid bodies: it should smell fresh and of the sea. Discard any that smells strongly fishy or of ammonia. Pat dry.
1 minStep 2: Whisk 2 ⅞ oz plain flour and ½ cup dashi into a thin, smooth batter and stir in the squid and 1 spring onion if using.
2 minStep 3: Heat a 24 cm frying pan over a medium-high heat with ½ tbsp vegetable oil. Wrap the base of a second, slightly smaller heavy pan in baking paper.
2 minStep 4: Pour in half the batter and spread it thinly. Crack one of 1 eggs on top and break the yolk.
1 minStep 5: Press the second pan down firmly on top and hold it for 2 minutes. Common mistake: pressing too lightly; it must be squashed thin so it turns chewy and lightly crisp, not doughy.
2 minStep 6: Lift the top pan, flip the pancake and press again for 1–2 minutes, until the squid is opaque and white all through, the egg fully set and both sides golden in patches.
2 minStep 7: Brush with half of 3 tbsp Japanese Worcester-style sauce, fold in half and serve hot. Repeat with ½ tbsp vegetable oil and the rest of the batter.
4 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 21 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ikayaki (Hanshin style) take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 8 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Masala khakhra
Khakhra are thin chapaties roasted slowly on a griddle until they turn crisp, like a cracker. This masala version adds gram flour, fresh fenugreek, turmeric and chilli to the wheat dough. They are a light Gujarati breakfast or tea-time snack, and lovely with pickle, chutney or a smear of butter. You can also make them in a roti maker.
Indian
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, 'grilled as you like it') is the pride of Osaka, where it's cooked on hot iron griddles in lively restaurants. Finely shredded cabbage is folded into a light batter with egg and spring onion, then fried into a thick, soft pancake with a crisp outside. It's painted with a fruity brown sauce and zigzagged with mayonnaise. Bonito flakes are usual on top; this vegetarian version uses seaweed flakes and pickled ginger instead. Chef's tip: don't press the pancake down with your spatula while it cooks. Osaka cooks leave it alone so the cabbage steams inside and stays light and fluffy; pressing squeezes out the air.
Coastal Mombasa mix
A Mombasa street-food bowl: chickpeas and potato simmered in coconut milk with raw mango and chilli, ladled into small bowls and topped with crisp lentil fritters, crunchy chevdo and red, green and tamarind chutneys. Make the fritters and chevdo ahead and assemble at the table. It's sweet, sour, hot and crunchy all at once.
