{"id":2535,"date":"2016-03-02T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2016-03-01T23:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=2535"},"modified":"2024-07-10T09:02:09","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T00:02:09","slug":"akashiyaki-takoyaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/akashiyaki-takoyaki\/","title":{"rendered":"Akashiyaki: Looks Like Takoyaki, But It’s Not Takoyaki"},"content":{"rendered":"
It might seem a bit of a stretch to visit two restaurants to try out some food, but if you have ever tasted the wonderful snack known as akashiyaki, you might find yourself doing the same. Round, eggy, fluffy, with octopus pieces inside \u2013 the dumplings might look very much like takoyaki (\u305f\u3053\u713c\u304d) at first glance, but akashiyaki (\u660e\u77f3\u713c\u304d) is completely different from the takoyaki that you know.<\/p>\n
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\nAs the name implies, akashiyaki is a regional cuisine of Akashi, a city in southern Hyogo prefecture, about 30 minutes west of Kobe by car. While these egg dumplings are commonly known as \u201ctamagoyaki\u201d (\u7389\u5b50\u713c) in Akashi, outside of the area and nationally, they are called \u201cakashiyaki\u201d to distinguish themselves from the grilled egg dish \u201ctamagoyaki\u201d (\u5375\u713c\u304d), which is a rectangular omelet roll.<\/p>\n
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Akashiyaki is said to be the basis of the internationally renowned takoyaki. But this is just one parent we are talking about \u2013 the other parent of takoyaki, the lesser known \u201crajioyaki\u201d (or \u201cradio-yaki\u201d; \u30e9\u30c2\u30aa\u713c\u304d), is a round snack made of flour, with konjac and pickles (later beef tendon) cooked in soya sauce wrapped inside, that was popular among kids around the 1920s.
\nTakoyaki was born, according to common beliefs, in the 1930s when a customer said in a mobile food stall (yatai, \u5c4b\u53f0) selling rajioyaki, that \u201cThey use octopus (i.e. tako) in Akashi, you know.\u201d The evolved rajio-turned-tako-yaki was quickly spread in Osaka and has become one of the area\u2019s symbols ever since. And a small note on the original takoyaki: unlike what is generally seen today, takoyaki was eaten plain in the beginning, without seaweed or bonito, soya or tonkatsu sauce on top. So don\u2019t be surprised when you go to older stores in Osaka and find no toppings or sauces on your order.<\/p>\n
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A major difference between takoyaki and akashiyaki is that, while takoyaki is a \u201ckonamon\u201d (\u30b3\u30ca\u30e2\u30f3, or foods made of flour, such as yakisoba and okonomiyaki), akashiyaki is defined as an egg dish, as it is composed of chiefly eggs whereas takoyaki can have comparatively little or even none.<\/p>\n
\nAnother noticeable contrast is the dipping. Akashiyaki comes with a small bowl of broth on the side, for dipping the dumplings before you eat. Originally used for cooling the dumplings, the broth is served warm today and has taken a larger role in forming the image of akashiyaki. The bonito-based broth may be garnished with a piece of mitsuba (\u4e09\u3064\u8449) on top or something else that gives it an herbal hint, and its flavor is an attribute as equally important as the dumplings when customers evaluate a store.<\/p>\n
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My first akashiyaki experience took place at a matsuri in the midst of winter. Cold and hungry, I was recommended to get akashiyaki instead of the standard matsuri food of yakisoba (which was more appealing due to its volume.) My first impression was to balk at the price, five hundred yen for five eggy balls in a soup? But after the first bite and a sip of the soup\u2026 steamy hot, with a heavy egg taste but unexpectedly light in texture, it was nothing but heaven. I swore I would make a trip to Akashi just for akashiyaki.<\/p>\n
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Then it happened, well maybe it is a bit exaggerated as I was in Akashi for something else unrelated, but I did take the time afterwards for akashiyaki only. A quick research online helped narrow our targets down to three stores, scattered around the city. Stores in Uo-no-tana (\u9b5a\u306e\u68da) downtown close to the station might be more famous, but we were more inclined to try something exclusive and unconventional, so we did not mind a bit of extra driving and searching at all.<\/p>\n