Monjayaki

Monjayaki (Tokyo-Style Cabbage and Seafood Pancake)

A loose, savory pancake cooked on a hot teppan (flat griddle) and eaten directly with a small spatula. It is a beloved street-food snack from the Tsukishima district of Tokyo, traditionally finished at the table by everyone cooking their own portion.

Prep

20 min

Cook

20 min

Total

40 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) cabbage, finely chopped (about 5 mm pieces)
• •150 g (5¼ oz) all-purpose flour
• •240 ml (1 cup) cold water, plus 60 ml / ¼ cup extra for thinning
• •10 g (2 tsp) dashi powder, or 240 ml dashi stock instead of water + powder
• •1 tsp soy sauce
• •200 g (7 oz) small squid (ika), cleaned and sliced into 5 mm rings; substitute with peeled shrimp or surimi if unavailable
• •100 g (3½ oz) shrimp (small, peeled), raw; deveined
• •60 g (2 oz) mochi, cut into 1 cm cubes; gives the classic stretchy texture
• •2 stalks green onion, finely sliced
• •2 tbsp tenkasu (tempura scraps), optional but traditional; adds crunch
• •1 tbsp vegetable oil, for the griddle
• •30 g (1 oz) aonori (dried green seaweed), for garnish
• •katsuobushi (bonito flakes), to taste, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk 150 g flour with 240 ml cold water and the dashi powder until smooth and lump-free, then stir in 1 tsp soy sauce. The batter should be quite thin, like single cream. Set aside.
2. 2 Prepare the filling: Finely chop the cabbage (do not shred it; short, fine pieces are correct). Slice the squid into small rings, cut the shrimp into bite-size pieces, cube the mochi, and slice the green onion.
3. 3 Combine filling and batter: In the same bowl, mix the cabbage, squid, shrimp, mochi, green onion, and tenkasu (if using) into the batter. The mixture should be very wet and scoopable - it should flow slowly when poured.
4. 4 Heat the griddle: Heat a flat cast-iron skillet or electric griddle (a 'teppan') over medium heat to about 180 °C / 350 °F. Lightly oil the surface.
5. 5 Cook the monjayaki: Ladle about 250 g of the mixture per person onto the hot griddle and spread it into a rough circle about 1.5 cm thick. Do not flip it.
6. 6 Cook for 6–8 minutes: Let the bottom set and turn lightly golden while the top remains soft and wet. Use a small spatula (a 'hagari' or 'hera') to score the surface and fold the edges inward as it cooks. The center should remain creamy and runny - this is correct.
7. 7 Doneness cue: The seafood is safely cooked when the squid turns opaque white and curls slightly, and the shrimp turn pink and firm (internal temperature 63 °C / 145 °F). The mochi should be fully melted and stretchy.
8. 8 Eat at the griddle: Scrape small portions from the cooked edge and eat directly off the small spatula while the center stays warm and soft. Garnish generously with aonori and katsuobushi at the table.