Okonomiyaki

About This Recipe

Often called a Japanese savoury pancake, okonomiyaki is a hearty mix of shredded cabbage, flour, eggs, and dashi, pan-fried until crisp, then layered with okonomi sauce, Japanese mayo, bonito flakes, and aonori seaweed powder.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 400 ggreen cabbage, finely shredded
• 150 gplain flour
• 200 mldashi stock (or water)
• 3 pcseggs
• 150 gstreaky bacon or pork belly strips
• 3 tbspokonomi sauce (Worcestershire-based)
• 3 tbspJapanese mayonnaise
• 2 tbspvegetable oil
• 10 gdried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
• 1 tbspaonori seaweed flakes
• 1 tspsoy sauce
• 0.5 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Make batter

   Whisk flour, dashi, eggs, soy sauce, and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in shredded cabbage until well coated.

2. 2

   Heat pan

   Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan or griddle over medium heat.

3. 3

   Cook pancake

   Pour a quarter of the batter into the pan and shape into a round about 2 cm thick. Lay bacon strips on top. Cook for 5–6 minutes until underside is golden and set.

4. 4

   Flip

   Carefully flip the pancake using two spatulas. Cook for another 5–6 minutes until cooked through and nicely browned.

5. 5

   Sauce and serve

   Transfer to a plate. Drizzle okonomi sauce and Japanese mayo in a zigzag pattern. Top with bonito flakes and aonori. Serve immediately.

Variations

• •

  Add prawns or squid for a seafood version (Osaka style).

• •

  Use gluten-free flour for a GF version.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days. Reheat in a pan for best texture.

Frequently Asked Questions