Taiyaki Japanese fish shaped waffle

I shared this Taiyaki recipe for the first time last year for The Children’s day celebration. Since I had some sweet azuki bean paste left over from my anmitsu post, I decided to update the taiyaki recipe. The Children’s day is celebrated on the 5th of May to wish the healthy growth of the children in the family.

Usually we celebrate the day with “Kashiwa Mochi” (rice cakes wrapped in oak leaves) and “Chimaki” (rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves). I wanted to make Kashiwa mochi but oak leaves are not available in Australia, so I decided to make Taiyaki instead. Because Taiyaki kind of resembles the Koi nobori (carp shaped streamers) that families raise up outside the house to wish the success for lives of the boys in the family.

This is also my father’s favourite snack. There is always a food stall at the supermarkets’ or at the shopping centre entrance and also at every service station. My father gets into trouble by my mum because whenever we go to the shops, he keeps buying them even though he already has stock of Taiyaki in the freezer. He loves Taiyaki that much.

Taiyaki is a little bit like a waffle filled with sweet Azuki bean paste. It is said that a good taiyaki is one that has a thin crispy waffle outside and is completely filled with An (the sweet red bean paste) from head to tail. Some people are not big fans of sweet red bean paste, if you are one of those people,  the”An” can be replaced with custard cream or Nutella.

I am also aware that many people do not have this special fish shaped pan to specifically make Taiyakis. I certainly did not have one and could not buy it in Australia so I bought it online and got it sent to Australia from Japan. You can get Taiyakipan on line.

I usually make 6 to 12 taiyaki and freeze them. Taiyaki needs to be wrapped individually with cling wrap then in a ziplock bag. It can be kept for a couple days in the fridge and two months in the freezer. I used commercially made azuki bean paste this time but they are a little too soft to handle. It is better to make my own azuki bean paste because you can control the texture thickness.

If you liked my recipe for Taiyaki, please rate it and leave a comment below. Also, don’t forget to follow me on Youtube, Pinterest, Facebook , Twitter and Instagram to keep up to date with all the latest happenings on Chopstick Chronicles. Don’t forget to use the hashtag #ChopstickChronicles so I can see your wonderful creations!

4.91 from 10 votes

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Taiyaki

Prep Time

35 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

55 mins

 

Japanese street food sweets at home

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: fish shaped waffle, Japanese fish shaped waffle, taiyaki, taiyaki recipe

Servings: 6

Calories: 133 kcal

Author: Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles

Ingredients

• 240 g sweet red bean paste (An)

Taiyaki Batter

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 1/2 tbs sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 large egg

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

1. Divide the An to 6 x 40g each and shape them into a 10cm long cylinder with cling wrap and set aside.

2. Sift the flour and baking powder in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.

3. Mix all the wet ingredients together and pour it into the well of flour.

4. Combine them but try not to overmix.

5. Place some cling wrap over the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to rest the batter.

6. Heat the taiyaki pan over low-medium heat and pour about 2 tbs batter on on side of the pan. Pour the batter from the top edge so that the batter will dribble down to the bottom of the pan.

7. Place a roll of sweet red bean paste in the centre and pour more batter (about 2 tbs) over the paste. 

8. Press the pan and cook each side for 3-5 minutes over low heat.

9. When both sides have cooked, remove the Taiyaki carefully.

10. Repeat the above process for the remaining batter and An.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

You can use ready-made tinned red bean paste if you prefer.

Be careful when you remove the taiyaki because it is very hot. I used gloves called 'gunte'. They are a bit like gardener's gloves but made of thick cotton.

Nutrition Facts

Taiyaki

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 133 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1g 2%

Cholesterol 28mg 9%

Sodium 35mg 1%

Potassium 218mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 26g 9%

Sugars 3g

Protein 3g 6%

Vitamin A 1.2%

Calcium 9.5%

Iron 6.8%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.