Fengjia Takoyaki

Fengjia takoyaki, or "octopus balls," are round snacks of batter studded with octopus pieces cooked on a griddle, crisp outside and soft within with octopus, cabbage and other fillings, finished with bonito flakes, seaweed powder and mayonnaise or sauce.

Fengjia Night Market is recognised as the birthplace of the Taiwanese-style octopus ball, with the "Ri Chuan" stall its founder; the proprietor Zhang Shi-ren once plied his trade in Wuri, Taiping and Lingdong before finding success at Fengjia, where a shop of barely one ping was said to turn over a million a month.

Made to order and eaten hot on bamboo skewers, the bonito flakes dance in the steam while the crisp shell and soft centre meet rich sauce and mayonnaise, a classic walk-and-eat night-market bite.

The crisp-shelled soft-centred ball, the bonito flakes dancing in the heat, the generous octopus filling and the legend of the founding Ri Chuan stall define Fengjia takoyaki.