Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake, made with flour, water, egg, shredded cabbage and your choice of meat or seafood, grilled on both sides. It is then brushed with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, and sprinkled with aonori (seaweed flakes) and katsuobushi (bonito flakes).

Ingredients

• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) water
• 1 large egg
• 10-15 cabbage leaves, shredded (about 3 cups / 300 grams)
• 4 ounces (113 grams) pork belly, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) okonomiyaki sauce
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon aonori (seaweed flakes)
• 1 teaspoon katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)

Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, water, egg, cabbage, pork, salt, pepper and MSG (if using).
2. Heat a large griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat. Grease with a little oil. Scoop 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the griddle. Flatten slightly with a spatula.
3. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through.
4. Brush with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Sprinkle with aonori and katsuobushi. Serve immediately.

Potential changes & improvements

If you want a lighter pancake, you can use less cabbage or swap it out for other vegetables like grated carrot, zucchini or green onion. You can also use other meats or seafood in place of the pork, such as chicken, shrimp or squid. For a vegan version, you can use tofu in place of the meat and egg.

What other food it works well with

Okonomiyaki goes well with a variety of other dishes. Try serving it with rice and pickled vegetables, or with a simple salad of mixed greens.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake is to add too much batter to the pan, resulting in a thick, dense pancake. Another mistake is to overcook the pancake, which will make it dry and rubbery. Be sure to watch the pancake carefully and adjust the heat as necessary to avoid these mistakes.

Nutritional Information

Serving size: 1 pancake (1/4 of recipe)

Calories: 320

Fat: 12 grams

Saturated fat: 3.5 grams

Unsaturated fat: 8.5 grams

Trans fat: 0 grams

Cholesterol: 55 mg

Sodium: 580 mg

Carbohydrates: 36 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Sugar: 5 grams

Protein: 12 grams

Allergens

Eggs, wheat, soy