Filling: Red bean paste (anko) or others such as Nutella, chocolate, custard, etc).I was always really disappointed when they don’t! Ingredients You’ll NeedĪs you could see, we only need simple pantry ingredients to make this classic taiyaki recipe: When I was young, I sometimes had to share a taiyaki with my younger brother and I always fought for the head side because taiyaki shops do not always fill the red bean paste all the way to the tail. I usually start eating from the head side and the tail last (how about you?). I would toss it between my hands to avoid getting burnt and slowly bite into the steaming hot cake. When taiyaki is freshly made, the crispy exterior surrounding the warm soft cake with anko filling is delectable. With that, taiyaki was born and it became a huge hit. Some enterprising pastry makers decided to modify imagawayaki by refashioning the round-shaped cake into a brand new sea bream fish look. The fish became the symbol of good luck in Japan’s way of life and culture. Before taiyaki took its shape, taiyaki was first imagawayaki, a warm round-shaped cake that is filled with sweet red bean paste.ĭuring the Meiji-era (1868 – 1912), tai (sea bream) was considered a highly prized fish and only eaten for special celebrations. You can trace its origin back to the Edo Period over 300 years ago. Tai means “sea bream” and yaki means “grilled/baked”.

Origin and Why is Taiyaki Shaped Like a Fish? Each taiyaki cone is crafted to fill your Instagram feeds. You can customize your ice cream flavor-from matcha and black sesame swirl to chocolate-and finish with red bean filling, a wafer stick, and mini mochi. In the US, you can find Taiyaki NY, a specialty shop with a few locations in New York and a few other places that serve taiyaki as handheld ice cream cones and topped with soft-serve ice cream.

In Tokyo, there is croissant taiyaki, where they combine croissant dough with tasty fillings. Most recently, this traditional treat has been reimagined by trendy shops across the world. In Japan, you can also find taiyaki shops that specialize in making pastries. It is a quintessential food at Japanese street fairs and festivals and is made in a fish-shaped iron mold resembling tai (red sea bream).

More Japanese Street Snacks You’ll LoveĮasily recognizable by its whimsical fish-shaped, taiyaki (鯛焼き) is a waffle-style cake/snack filled with sweet red bean paste ( anko), and sometimes with other fillings such as custard, chocolate, Nutella, or cheese.

Origin and Why is Taiyaki Shaped Like a Fish?.

Book sweet bean paste