Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)
These Japanese cabbage pancakes are crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, with pork belly or bacon, a sweet-tangy homemade sauce and Kewpie mayo.
Ingredients
Okonomiyaki Sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 2½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2-3 tsp liquid honey
Batter
- ¾ cup warm water
- ¾ cup dashi (Japanese stock)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup peeled and finely grated Japanese yam, optional (about 150 g total)
Okonomiyaki
- 4 eggs
- 4 green onions finely chopped
- ⅓ cup tenkasu (tempura scraps) optional
- ¼ cup beni shoga (pickled red ginger) chopped
- 6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage approx ½ head of cabbage
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 10-12 thin slices pork belly sliced into thirds (150-180 g)
To Serve
- Okonomiyaki Sauce
- Kewpie mayonnaise optional
- katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes) optional
- chopped green onions optional
- aonori (dried green laver seaweed) optional
- beni shoga (picked red ginger) optional
Instructions
Okonomiyaki Sauce
- In microwave-safe bowl, stir together ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce and honey. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed and combined, about 1 minute.
Batter
- In small bowl, stir together warm water and dashi powder until dissolved. In large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder; whisk in dashi mixture until smooth. Stir in yam (if using) until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 45 to 60 minutes.
Okonomiyaki
- Stir eggs into batter mixture; stir in green onions, tenkasu (if using) and beni shoga until combined. Stir in cabbage until coated.
- Heat large cast-iron pan or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp of the oil and heat until hazy; divide cabbage mixture into 4 portions. Add one portion to pan and, using spatula, shape into 7-inch (18 cm) level circle, gently pushing edges toward centre.
- Arrange 7 to 9 pieces of pork belly on top of pancake, overlapping them slightly and ensuring they reach the edge. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, covered, until bottom is evenly browned, about 6 minutes. Remove lid and cook for 2 more minutes, shaking pan to check pancake is moving and ready to flip.
- Using large spatula, carefully flip pancake, ensuring pork and cabbage make contact with the pan. Press edges in. Cook, covered, for 6 minutes; remove lid and cook until pork us crispy and browned, about another 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 1 to 2 more minutes to crisp. Transfer to plate, pork side up. Repeat with remaining oil and batter.
To Serve
- Spread 2 tbsp Okonomiyaki sauce onto pancake. Squeeze lines of Kewpie mayonnaise overtop (if using); sprinkle with katsuobushi, green onions, aonori and more beni shoga (if using).