When I was young my parents used to take me to this Asian market then called Yoahan and now Mitsuwa, where my uncles worked. I used to get happy on Saturday mornings because I knew we were going to see my uncles and also to eat. The market section is full of delicious exotic fruits and different kinds of veggies used in Asian cuisine. There is also a food court with different little shops. My favorite part was the bakery section where you found pastries filled with sour pork, chicken curry and my all time favorite sweet bun with red bean paste, I love it! There was also a little Taiyaki sweet shop which was my dad's all time favorite, so we couldn't leave without stopping by it. I always amazed how the workers were so fast turning those huge multiple cast iron pans and how fast they moved. Now days when I take my children to Mitsuwa everything is the same including the long line we have to make to get these delicious treats. My daughter Mei-Li loves them so about 2 years ago I decided to buy a cast iron Taiyaki pan ( I got mine from eBay) and ever since I have been making these Japanese pancakes(that's what she calls them). You can filled them with what ever you like, we usually do nutella, strawberry marmalade with cream cheese or peanut butter. Well, here is my favorite recipe for Taiyaki, I hope you enjoy it!
Taiyaki filled with Nutella
makes 6
Ingredients:
2/3 C. cake flour2 tsp. baking powder
2Tbsp. sugar
3/4 C. milk
1 egg
1/2 C. Nutella or filling of your choice
Directions:
1. Heat up the Taiyaki pan over medium heat.
2. while the pan is heating up mix all ingredients together except for the nutella.
3. Grease the pan with a pastry brush or you can use a non-stick cooking spray.
4. Pour a little bit of batter in each fish (about 2 Tbsp.)
5. Put about a Tablespoon of nutella in the center or with a stick spread it all the way to the tail. At this point make sure not to put to much of the nutella or it will ooze out and cause the fishes to stick to the pan, which makes it a bit difficult to remove.
6. Cover the nutella with some more batter and cook until bottom is nicely golden brown.
7. Then close the pan and flip, cook for a few more minutes until is golden brown.
Enjoy!!!
