Have you heard of Okonomiyaki? I was not aware of this Japanese veggie pancake until I saw Rie McClenny's "How to Make Homemade Japanese Food" video (with Tasty). Her impressive Okonomiyaki shows up at minute 4:00. Rie makes it look so easy! All you have to do is make a thin pancake, layer on cabbage and bean sprouts and bacon, put on more batter, flip it over, cook noodles on the side, put the pancake on top of the noodles, fry an egg, put the pancake on top of the egg, flip it over, then cover with yummy sauces and bonito flakes that dance in the heat.
However, when I tried this at home, it was a mess. (It was delicious, but I didn't have the space or the tools to do the flipping correctly.) Also the bacon didn't cook properly and had to be removed before eating.
But I wanted to try again. Next I found a recipe and video from Aaron and Clare (who are based in Seoul). This one is called "Easy & Perfect Okonomiyaki." It had fewer ingredients and only one flip. I tried it, but cut down ingredients even more to come up with my Vermont version of this tasty dish. It makes a great lunch and I think still has nice savory flavor, plus real substance from the cabbage. Here's my recipe!
Ingredients:
- About 2 cups of green cabbage, sliced thin or shredded
- About 2 heaping T of Pickled ginger (can chop slightly)
- 4-6 shrimp, cooked and chopped (optional)
- Tempura bits (completely optional, but if you make your own tempura, save the fried bits from the oil and add them to your okonomiyaki)
- About 1/2 cup of any plain pancake mix, or Okonomiyaki flour (or regular flour in a pinch)
- 1/2 cup water (or more for texture)
- Okonomi sauce or any Japanese or Korean or American barbecue sauce
- 2 T Mayonnaise
- 1 t Maple syrup
- Bonito flakes (Katsuobushi)
Assembly:
First a disclaimer--I know recipe is a far cry from real Japanese food. But I still want to experience some of the flavors, so this is my best attempt with what I've got.
Step 1: Combine the shredded cabbage, chopped shrimp, and pickled ginger in a bowl. If you have tempura bits, add these too.
2. Sprinkle on okonomiyaki flour or pancake mix and mix in. Then add and mix in the water to make a very loose batter. (Essentially the ingredients are somewhat coated with the mixture, but by no means are we creating a pourable pancake-like mixture.) If there is not enough coating or it's too dry or too wet, adjust the flour or water as needed.
3. Preferably using your hands, clump a generous handful of the coated cabbage mixture onto a griddle or large skillet. The pancake should be about 6 inches in diameter. If you have room for two, go for it.
4. Cook one side over medium heat for 4-5 minutes. Using a wide, reliable spatula, flip the pancakes and cook for about the same time on the other side.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the toppings by mixing the mayonnaise and the maple syrup together in a small bowl. Here are my three toppings at the ready.
6. When the pancakes seem cooked through (in about 10 minutes, maybe less), place on plates and slather the top with the sweet mayo. Then, squeeze on Okonomi sauce in a pleasing back-and-forth pattern, and finally, sprinkle generously with bonito flakes. If you think you don't like bonito flakes, please try them anyway! Their smoky, salty, briny taste brings the whole dish to the next level and is worth getting used to!
That's it! The Okonomiyaki pancakes are ready to eat!
