Why, oh why, did I suddenly get the hankering for this meal? I’ve never set foot in Japan, and Tokiyaki has never graced my taste buds, but the moment I discovered it was a Japanese street food, my curiosity started doing jumping jacks, and I thought, “Hey, I want to taste this appetizer!”
So, with the enthusiasm of a caffeinated squirrel, I dashed into the virtual marketplace, and ta-da! An Amazon box parachuted into my life, bearing the gift of a shiny new Takoyaki pan. Naturally, my next move was a sprint to the Asian market for the crucial ingredients.
Now, let me confess, the octopus seemed like a culinary Rubik’s Cube to me, so I opted for a simpler route – squid and shrimp. Because, let’s be real, who even knows how to cook octopus without summoning a kitchen calamity? And thus, the experimental kitchen adventure kicked off.
Step one: the squid wrestling match. I had to wrestle with cleaning it up, removing the ink and whatever mysterious bits were lurking inside. However, I left the first skin intact because, you know, that squid’s onion skin – culinary gold! 😂
Step two: onto the shrimp, and being a card-carrying member of the “We Love Our Shrimp with Heads” club, I delicately removed the head, the shell, and the shrimp’s backstreet dirt.
A quick steam spa for both shrimp and squid for a solid 10 minutes, a liquid drain, and because I’m a keto crusader, I decided to follow Matt’s recipe from Eyes and Hour and give it a low-carb makeover, swapping ingredients like a keto ninja.
The grand finale? A ketostrophe! Some looked decent, but most resembled tiny, burnt asteroids. 🤣 No, there won’t be any photo evidence of that culinary disaster.
Oh, the adventures in my keto kitchen, where every dish is a surprise and every mistake a lesson in humility!
Now, I’m well acquainted with the mantra “NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER…” Yep, that’s me, Swits Zurrender, the only one in the Swits family tree. So, I delved deeper into the art of frying and the secrets of the perfect Tokiyaki. Round two, and voila again! Behold, a perfect, healthy, sugar-free, diabetic-friendly Keto Tokiyaki!
With my culinary triumph in hand, I thought, why not share the joy? I served it up to my unsuspecting friends, and one brave soul (I will not mention her name) even asked me to bring it to our Christmas party, demanding the sacred recipe. She even took a picture and bragged to her sisters what she’s eating. She said she thought she can only get this from a restaurant. I solemnly swore to post it on our website, and here it is, Riza, —culinary wisdom from the keto kitchen of Swits Zurrender!
Ingredients:
For the Batter: 
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 tbsp coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 free-range large eggs
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- Pinch of Salt and pepper
For the Filling: 
- 1/2 cup cooked and chopped shrimp and squid (or any keto-friendly protein of your choice, or the original ingredients, octopus)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup beni shoga red pickled ginger
For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp erythritol or any keto-friendly sweetener
For the toppings:
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tbsp Bonito Flakes
- 2-3 tbsp Beni Shoga
- Nori flakes seaweed
Procedure:
- Cooking the Filling:
- Steam and cook the chopped shrimp and squid (or chosen protein) until it changed the color
- Remove from heat and cut in small pieces then set aside.
- Prepare the Batter:
- In a large bowl, combine almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and pepper.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and almond milk.
- Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, stirring until well combined. The batter should have a smooth consistency.
A Sweet favorite to compliment any meal
- Cooking the Tokiyaki:
- Turn on the takoyaki maker and lightly grease the molds with oil.
- Pour a spoonful of batter into each mold, filling them halfway.
- Add a small portion of the cooked shrimp and squid mixture, green onion, a pinch of beni shoga and a pinch of shredded mozzarella to each mold.
- Top with more batter to cover the filling, ensuring the mold is almost full.
- These molds are very small and the batter cooks fast so once you’re done with the filling it’s time to turn the balls half-way.
- Use a takoyaki pick or skewer to rotate the balls
- Once you turn the balls halfway, you can add more batter and clean up all the excess ingredients by inserting it in the Takoyaki balls.
- Rotate the balls continuously, add more oil if needed until they form a round shape and are golden brown on all sides.
- Preparing the Sauce:
- In a small bowl, mix together tamari (or coconut aminos), rice vinegar, sesame oil, and keto-friendly sweetener until well combined.
- Serve and Enjoy:
- Once the Keto Tokiyaki balls are cooked, transfer them to a serving plate.
- Drizzle the delicious keto-friendly sauce over the top and garnish with additional green onions or sesame seeds if desired.
And there you have it – Swits Z’s Tokiyaki Delight! A mouthwatering fusion of traditional Japanese flavors and keto-friendly ingredients that will transport your taste buds to a world of savory perfection.
