Taiyaki たい焼き
A fish-shaped cake of pancake-like batter, baked in a mould and usually filled with sweet red bean paste. The name means "baked sea bream".
About Taiyaki
- What it is: Batter poured into a fish-shaped iron mould, filled with anko (red bean paste) and cooked until golden on both sides. Custard, chocolate and savoury fillings also exist.
- Background: It was first sold in Tokyo in 1909. The sea bream (tai) is a symbol of good luck, and was once too expensive for ordinary people.
- Where to try it: Street stands, shopping arcades, outside stations and at festival food stalls across Japan.
- Season: Sold all year, and a favourite on cold winter afternoons.
- How to eat it: People in Japan like to debate whether to start with the head or the tail. There is no right answer.
SeasonAll year, especially in winter
Checked against: Taiyaki | Wikipedia · Taiyaki: The Story Behind Japan's Beloved Fish-Shaped Snack | Tokyo Weekender · Japanese Food: 6 Yatai Festival Foods | Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaiʻi.
Taiyaki on Shibuya246
Photos and stories from the blog, as they were written at the time.
Goods
Hot Fish Pancakes Please
Link to Amazon Japan. When I was a student at university in the 1980's, one of my favourite foods was 'taiyaki' with red bean anko paste. I would make the…
