Okonomiyaki: Japanese Cabbage Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese cabbage pancake blanketed with toppings.  The batter is so simple–eggs, flour, baking powder, and good old S&P.  It’s traditionally flavored with dashi, an essential base stock used in Japanese cooking made of kombu (dried kelp) and bonito (dried fish) flakes.  This miso soup recipe will show you how to make dashi.  I sometimes use dashi powder in a cinch.  Just water is just fine too. 

A generous amount of sliced cabbage is folded into the batter.  There are also the add-ons for both flavor and texture: pork belly, ground pork, bacon, shrimp, squid, octopus, or cheese.  Either fold them into the batter or layer them on top right after spreading the batter into the hot pan. 

About the Toppings 

On its own, this pancake is mild in flavor with a pleasant crunch from the cabbage.  Enter stage, toppings.  In this version, I stick to more traditional ones.  Kewpie mayo (a Japanese-brand that’s richer in flavor and less sweet than the American version) provides creaminess.  Okonomiyaki sauce is a sweeter and thicker version of Worcestershire sauce.  Otafuku is a very popular brand.  In case you can’t get ahold of it, I included a simple recipe.  Other toppings: bonito flakes and nori (seaweed) flakes for umami and funk, scallions for freshness, and pickled ginger to wake up your taste buds.  

Okonomi in Japanese means “to one’s liking”, which gives you the freedom to deviate as far as you’d like to gussy up your okonomiyaki.  For a winning combo, pick at least one from each category below.  These are some of my favorites: ·

•Spice/Umami: kimchi, sriracha, spicy mayo, thinly sliced Fresno or jalapeño peppers, okonomiyaki sauce, bonito flakes, nori flakes

•Creamy: mayo, sour cream, thousand island dressing, sunny-side up fried egg, shredded cheese

•Crunchy: bacon bits, crispy fried onions, furikake seasoning, toasted sesame seeds, crumbled potato chips 

•Pickled: pickled ginger, pickled red onion, giardiniera, pickled jalapeños or banana peppers

•Fresh: scallions, teeny tiny tomatoes, sliced radishes, microgreens, shaved Brussels sprouts 

A few helpful tips for okonomiyaki perfection: 

•You have mad knife skills.  Hold it!  The cabbage shouldn’t be sliced too thinly.  About a 1/4-inch thickness is ideal.  If too thin, it’ll soften as it cooks and you’ll miss out on the crispness and texture from the cabbage.  An excellent option: pre-packaged shredded green cabbage.  

•If I have veggies that need to be used, I’ll throw those in.  Zucchini, onion, mushrooms, leek, bell pepper, corn kernels… all good as long as they are cut to about the same size as the cabbage.  You should have up to two cups of vegetables, including the cabbage. 

•Unless you want to get rid of all the height and fluff (you don’t), flattening the okonomiyaki while it cooks with the back of your spatula is a hard no.   

•Okonomiyaki is best served hot right off the pan.  Have your toppings and chopsticks at the ready so that it doesn’t get cold on the plate waiting for you.  

Have you tried this yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below!