Okonomiyaki ('grilled as you like it') is Osaka's beloved savory pancake, built on a loose batter of flour, dashi, and egg that binds a generous mountain of finely shredded cabbage. Unlike a Western pancake, the cabbage is the star: it steams inside the batter while the exterior crisps, yielding a tender, almost soufflé-like interior. Thin pork belly laid on top renders into the surface, and the cooked round is finished with a lacquer of sweet-tangy okonomiyaki sauce, ribbons of Kewpie mayonnaise, aonori seaweed, and bonito flakes that curl and 'dance' in the rising heat. It is hearty street food and home cooking at once — endlessly customizable, which is exactly what the name promises.
Serves 2
Whisk the flour, dashi, eggs, and salt in a bowl until smooth and lump-free. Using dashi rather than plain water adds savory depth, so the batter tastes seasoned even before any toppings go on.
Rest the batter 10 minutes so the flour hydrates fully and the cooked pancake holds together better.
Fold in the shredded cabbage, green onions, and tenkasu just until coated. The mixture looks more like dressed cabbage than batter — that is correct; the vegetables should barely be held together by the egg and flour.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Medium heat is key: too hot and the outside scorches before the cabbage inside softens and the egg sets through.
Pile half the batter into the pan and gently coax it into a round about 2cm thick. Resist pressing it flat — trapped steam and air are what keep the interior fluffy rather than dense.
Tuck stray cabbage edges in with your spatula so the round holds a clean shape.
Lay the thin pork belly strips flat across the top, slightly overlapping, so their rendered fat will baste the surface as the pancake cooks and crisp up beautifully once flipped.
Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes until the underside is deep golden and the pancake has set enough to move in one piece. Lift an edge to check color before committing to the flip.
Slide a wide spatula fully underneath and flip in one confident motion, or invert onto a plate and slide back in pork-side down. Press lightly to seat the pork, then cook 5 more minutes.
If your spatula is small, the plate-invert method is far more reliable and prevents the pancake from breaking apart.
Slide onto a plate pork-side up. Brush with okonomiyaki sauce, zigzag the Kewpie mayo over it, then shower with bonito flakes, aonori, and pickled ginger. Serve at once while the bonito still dances.
Don't compress the pancake — trapped air keeps the interior light and fluffy.
Bonito flakes 'dance' from the rising heat; this is the signature visual, so add them last.
Shred the cabbage finely (about 5mm) so it cooks through and binds without staying raw.
A drop of grated nagaimo (mountain yam) in the batter, if you can find it, makes the texture even silkier.
Cook over medium, not high, heat so the cabbage steams tender before the crust burns.
Hiroshima-style: layer the ingredients separately and add fried yakisoba noodles.
Seafood okonomiyaki: swap the pork for shrimp, squid, and scallops.
Modanyaki: top with a fried egg and a nest of noodles.
Vegetarian: omit the pork and add mushrooms, corn, and extra tenkasu for richness.
Best eaten fresh off the pan. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat in a dry skillet over medium to restore crispness rather than microwaving, which turns them soggy.
Okonomiyaki traces back to thin Edo-era flour crepes, but the modern cabbage-heavy version is widely associated with postwar Osaka, where flour and vegetables stretched scarce ingredients. Osaka and Hiroshima each developed distinct regional styles that locals still debate passionately.
Make a quick substitute by mixing 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves; it should taste sweet, tangy, and savory all at once, much like a thicker tonkatsu sauce.
Yes. Plain water works in a pinch, though the batter loses some savory depth. For a quick fix, dissolve a little instant dashi powder or a pinch of bouillon in the water, or add a splash of soy sauce to the batter to compensate for the missing umami.
It usually needs more time on the first side so the egg can set, or the round is too thick to support its own weight. Cook until the underside is firmly golden, keep the round to about 2cm, and use the plate-invert method for the most reliable flip.
Per serving (400g / 14.1 oz) · 2 servings total
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