How to Make Okonomiyaki: Pancake gone Japanese

Feb 22 • Blog, Japanese Food, Recipe • 4239 Views • 7 Comments

I’ve just learned the story behind National Pancake Day of the UK and some of the Commonwealth countries. (Historically, pancakes were made on Shrove Tuesday to use up fatty and rich foods before Lent started.) People seemed to have enjoyed the day in events like pancake races, running with a frying pan with a pancake inside. All that pancake buzz yesterday got me wanting a pancake too.

As much as I love the pancakes with maple syrup on top, I believe you already know how to make those, and I am on a mission to introduce Japanese cuisine here. So let me show you how to make our savory pancake called, okonomiyaki. I’ve shown you the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki before from my cycling trip. This one I’m showing you today is the regular version, which is much easier to make. This savory pancake is made with lots of cabbage and whatever meat or seafood you wish to add to it. After all, okonomi means to-your-liking. Mix it all and pan-fry. If you can make a pancake, you can make an okonomiyaki.

[ Recipe for 2 simple okonomiyaki ]

1) In a bowl, mix below into pancake batter consistency
1 cup flower
2 eggs
1/2 cup water (adjust as needed)
1 pinch salt
1/8 teaspoon dashi powder (don’t worry if you don’t have it)

2) Mix veggie into bowl #1
1/2 cabbage (chopped small so it mixes well with the batter)
a few sprigs of green onions (chopped)
1 table spoon benishoga (ginger pickle, colored red – this is not the same as the sweet gari ginger you get beside your sushi)

3) Heat 1 table spoon of oil in a frying pan, and place any of these:
Thinly sliced pork or beef (bacon is fine too) / halved shrimps / sliced squid, etc.

4) Pour #2 on top of #3, and shape it like a big pancake (medium low heat)

5) After a while, flip it (time to test your skills!) to heat both sides just like a pancake until cooked through

6) Put on the topping & Enjoy!
Okonomiyaki sauce*
Mayonnaise
Katsuobushi (shredded skipjack tuna flakes)
Aonori (A type of edible seaweed – I didn’t have this in my cupboard today, but it’s a nice finishing touch)

*If you can’t find a bottled okonomiyaki sauce in the Asian aisle of your store, try this recipe I found:

Ingredients:
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. sake (rice wine)
1 tsp. soy sauce

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until bubbly. Simmer about 30 seconds more, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Feeling creative?
If you are inspired to get more creative with your okonomiyaki, you can add things like shredded cheese, chopped mochi, sweet corn, ground nagaimo yam, or tenkasu to your own liking. Enjoy a delicious savory pancake with your own twist!

This post is also available in: Japanese

« Day 90-91 Upside Down Mt Fuji and a Giant Swan Ship Day 92-93 Japan’s Surf Mecca and The Open Air Buddha of Kamakura »