You must have heard of or encountered a Takoyaki ball if you are into Japanese cuisines. Takoyaki is a round-shaped wheat snack that is very common in Japan.
Among wheat, it is also prepared with tempura scraps, minced octopus, green onions, and ginger, to mention a few ingredients.
Cooks use the Takoyaki pan to make Takoyaki. It is a heavy flat pan with some round holes in it. These holes are where you put the Takoyaki to cook.
Since Takoyaki is not a famous dish in America, it can be hard to find a Takoyaki pan. And as a committed cook who loves experimenting with new dishes, a time will come when you want to try and cook Takoyaki at home.
Or maybe, you have friends or colleagues visiting from Japan, and you want to display your expertise in Japanese dishes by preparing some Takoyaki.
Since a Takoyaki pan is not something you have lying around in your kitchen, what do you use?
The only option you will have is to either look for and purchase a Takoyaki pan or look for an alternative. The latter is better, especially when you do not have the finances or time to get yourself the pan.
Takoyaki pan substitutes are multifunction grill, cake pop pan, non-stick grill pan, frying pan, an ice tray, and a cooking pot.
How to Clean a Panini Press. Click to Read.
Takoyaki and the Pan
Takoyaki is a Japanese delicacy. But as you know, America is diverse, so you can also find Takoyaki here.
This delicacy is prepared using the Takoyaki pan. This pan is a flat, heavy iron grindle with circles all over the surface. To cook Takoyaki, you put them in these circles and then cook them.
The material of this pan ensures a general distribution of heat through the pan so that the Takoyaki can cook evenly.
Most people enjoy Takoyaki as a snack and not as the main dish. Even so, these balls are very delicious.
Also, Check Out: What is a suitable Paneer Substitute?
To cook them, you will need minced octopus (you can use thinly chopped if you do not have minced), wheat flour, green, onions, and some other spices of your liking.
There are other ingredients like eggs, water, baking powder, salt, and sugar that you should use. Making Takoyaki is not that complicated. It might take time to prepare, but it is not a complex process.
The Takoyaki pan is the easiest way to cook Takoyaki. You must keep filling the holes with the Takoyaki mixture until you get a perfect ball.
That does not mean you cannot cook Takoyaki without a pan. You might fail to accomplish the perfect circle you would have with the pan, but you will still enjoy the same delicacy.
So, please read on to know what you can use in place of a Takoyaki pan.
Also, Read on: Cheap Pantry Meals You Can Make!
The Substitutes
In this list of Takoyaki pan alternatives, we will cover what you can use to get the closest results as to what a Takoyaki pan we could give.
We do not want you to be disappointed that your Takoyaki does not resemble those round dumplings you once enjoyed.
However, you should not know that some of these alternatives will not give you the perfect results, but they will be close. This is if you follow the instructions keenly. Let us dive in.
1. Multifunction Grill
Although this is not a typical cooking gadget in your kitchen, you might have it if you love meat. Also, it is easy to find and purchase. Besides helping you make the Takoyaki, you will also use this grill numerous times.
This grill is called a multifunction grill because it comes with several pans that you can use to make various dishes. It has some non-stick pans and an inbuilt thermostat. To top it all, it comes with a Takoyaki pan which is also non-stick.
You also get some spatulas, some brushes, and Takoyaki pics. So, besides getting an excellent grill, you also get a Takoyaki maker. You can use this Takoyaki pan to make your Takoyaki.
Another excellent reason for using this grill is its built-in thermostat. It helps regulate the temperature of your Takoyaki as you cook it.
So, if you want to make some Takoyaki balls and cannot find a Takoyaki pan, use the Takoyaki pan on the multifunction grill.
If you do not have this fantastic cooking machine, you should consider getting one. It will be worth your while, even in the long run.
2. Cake Pop Pan
A cake pop pan is an excellent appliance if you want to make Takoyaki balls with a perfectly round shape. Supposing you or your kid has ever participated in a cake pop school sale, you might already know this pan.
The cake pop pan has round cavities that will shape your Takoyaki. The even better news is that it is so easy to find this cake pop pan. If anything, you might have it already.
To use the cake pop pan, you will prepare the Takoyaki the same way you prepare it when using the Takoyaki pan. After preparing the batter, fill the holes in the cake pop pan to the brim.
This pan comes with a lid that has clips. This lid will secure your Takoyaki and ensure that the balls cook evenly. So, ensure you do not forget this step.
Put the cake pop pan with the Takoyaki in the oven. Set the range at 350 degrees and cook for about thirty minutes. After the time elapses, take the Takoyaki out of the oven and out of the cake pop pan.
The cake pop pan is the easiest method of replacing the Takoyaki pan. So, do not panic the next time you want to make Takoyaki and do not have a Takoyaki pan.
3. Frying Pan
A frying pan is the one cooking gadget I am convinced you cannot lack in this list. The other cooking appliances are not as common as the frying pan. It is available in almost all kitchens for it has numerous uses.
You cannot use a frying pan to prepare Takoyaki without first preparing the balls and freezing them. The work of the frying pan will be to fry the Takoyaki and ready them for eating.
So, what do you use to come up with Takoyaki balls? You can use an ice tray. The ice tray that you use to make ice cubes. However, ensure you use an ice tray with round shapes to emulate the round shape of Takoyaki best.
It will serve you best if you use a large non-stick frying pan. Put enough vegetable cooking so the Takoyaki will be wholly submerged in the oil. This will ensure that the Takoyaki cooks evenly and becomes crispy without breaking.
Before frying the Takoyaki, let them stay in the fridge for a few hours. Give them some time to ensure they completely freeze and form firm balls.
4. Non-stick Grill Pan
Non-stick grill pans are another excellent substitute for a Takoyaki pan. They are made of cast iron, just like the Takoyaki pan; thus, they allow an equal distribution of heat while cooking your Takoyaki.
One of the main advantages of using a non-stick grill pan is that the Takoyaki will not stick. This feature will prevent sticking and the burning of Takoyaki while you are in the cooking process.
You can use this grill pan with a stove or a gas cook. The Takoyaki will cook faster if you get the one with a lid.
Although this pan is grilled, meaning it is categorized, these grills are not the perfect solution for forming the shape of the Takoyaki.
Unless you want your Takoyaki to have a tube-like shape, you should consider using something like an ice tray to make the shapes before cooking with this grill pan.
Non-stick grill pans are widely available, and you will likely have one in your kitchen.
They have various uses, and now you have just learned another way to use them. Do not hesitate to use your grill pan to make Takoyaki if you run out of options.
5. An ice Tray and a Cooking Pot
I have already established that an ice tray will be convenient when making Takoyaki balls. The same ice tray you use to make your ice cubes is the same one I am talking about here.
Of all the cooking gadgets we have covered so far, a cooking pot is the one thing I am completely sure you have. It would help if you had a cooking pot that you prepare your dishes in.
The process of making Takoyaki batter will be the same. After the batter is ready, transfer it to the segments of the ice tray and put it in the fridge for a few hours.
After the time elapses, put some cooking oil in a big cooking pot and let it heat to boil. Transfer the Takoyaki into the cooking pot with the oil and let them cook for a few minutes.
Once they are brown and crispy, remove them from the oil. They are ready to serve.
You don't need to stress yourself when you want some Takoyaki and don't have the pan. You can use what you already have in your kitchen and get close to similar results.
Final Point
Whether it is the first time you are cooking Takoyaki or not, some issues can lead to you not having a Takoyaki pan. In such situations, you will need a Takoyaki pan substitute.
Takoyaki is a delicacy, and the lack of a pan should not limit you from trying to make them. That is why this article has covered the simplest to find alternatives to a Takoyaki pan.
After going through them, you will be confident to try making Takoyaki from scratch, even without the pan. Do not allow a Takoyaki pan to limit you.
Use either of the above substitutes and enjoy Takoyaki now. Happy cooking!
