TOKYO -- Rising costs in Japan have impacted even the popular delicacy, "takoyaki" fried octopus balls, with chains hiking prices and some shops in the Tokyo area even replacing octopus with sausage ...

To make the octopus meatballs, start by cooking the octopus (already cleaned): place it in a large pot immersed in cold water (1), add a scant handful of coarse salt (2), black peppercorns, crushed ...