Takoyaki Party!

Today is the anniversary of the founding of Kansai Gaidai, so all the students had a holiday! My speaking partner, Megumi, invited me to her friend Mina's house to make Takoyaki. It was really interesting to see the inside of another Japanese home. It was also interesting because this is Mina and Megumi's first semester at Kansai Gaidai, and I assume they met sometime on campus. It was also Megumi's first time to Mina's house, so I wasn't the only new person.

Takoyaki is a traditional Japanese food that is Osaka's specialty. Takoyaki basically translates as "octopus balls." It's made of a flour-based batter, chunks of octopus (tako), tiny onions (negi), and a spice I just don't know the name of.

Megumi and I met up at Kyobashi station, then we took the train together to Mina's house. She picked us up at the station and we went to the grocery store to buy ingredients and a new whisk.

Mina chops up the octopus. She said she couldn't cook, but she could cut up an octopus like a pro.
Then again, she also forgot to buy several ingredients. So I guess we had simplified takoyaki.

A little chewier than I like, but quite delicious.

We started actually cooking the takoyaki by pouring batter into little ball-shaped molds. After a few seconds, we added the negi, octopus, and spice. I guess there were other things to add, but we forgot them, so...
After a while, we would periodically flip each ball over so that the other side could cook. Each batch took about 5-10 minutes.



Megumi's finished result! She topped hers with a special takoyaki sauce and mayonaise.

Mine just had sauce. I think I ate about 15 of them. If you're okay with raw octopus, I absolutely recommend takoyaki!


It turns out that Mina's mother has a Kimono License. I'm not sure exactly what that entails, but she has her own workroom in the front of the house.
She went to a famous Kimono styling school for about a year to learn how to properly fit and wear a kimono. She also made the flower screen and a (out-of-frame) picture made out of pressed flowers. She was really artistic!
After we were almost finished eating, Mina's mother returned home and was really excited to meet Megumi and me. She then asked me if I thought kimonos were pretty. I said yes, and she offered to dress me in one.

Even though I think foreigners look incredibly foolish in kimonos, I am not one to pass on such a cool opportunity. She was incredibly sweet the whole time, talking about the art of kimonos (only some of which I was able to understand) and her favorite colors.

So here I am!

We then retreated to Mina's room on the fourth floor, where we turned up the heat and turned off the lights and watched Juno.

Megumi and Mina want to come to New York during January or Spring Break in March. I hope they do! I'll show them around and give them a place to stay.