Okonomiyaki

Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki

A savoury Japanese cabbage pancake from Osaka, griddled with pork belly and finished with sweet-savoury sauce, mayonnaise, seaweed and bonito flakes. The name literally means "grilled how you like it", so the toppings are yours to adjust.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •200 g (7 oz) green cabbage, shredded, core removed
• •120 g (¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour, or okonomiyaki-ko if available
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) dashi, or water for a vegetarian version; kombu and bonito dashi is traditional
• •2 large eggs
• •8 g (1 tbsp) yam (nagaimo), grated; optional but traditional for fluffiness — substitute 1 tbsp extra baking powder if unavailable
• •150 g (5 oz) pork belly (buta bara), thin slices, about 6-8 pieces; substitute streaky bacon for a home kitchen
• •2 tbsp neutral oil, for the griddle
• •60 ml (¼ cup) okonomi sauce, Otafuku or Bulldog brand; substitute with a mix of 2 tbsp Worcestershire + 1 tbsp ketchup + 1 tbsp oyster sauce + 1 tsp sugar
• •30 g (2 tbsp) Japanese mayonnaise, Kewpie preferred
• •2 g (1 packet) aonori (dried green seaweed)
• •5 g (1 small packet) katsuobushi (bonito flakes), the "dancing" flakes; check the pack is inedible for parasites if consuming raw — commercially dried katsuobushi is safe as served
• •1 stalk spring onion, sliced, optional for mixing into the batter

Steps

1. 1 Make the batter: in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, dashi, eggs, grated yam and spring onion (if using) until just combined — a few small lumps are fine.
2. 2 Fold in the shredded cabbage with chopsticks or your hands until every strand is coated. The mixture should be quite sloppy, not stiff.
3. 3 Heat a flat griddle or large non-stick frying pan over medium heat (around 180 °C / 350 °F) and brush with the oil.
4. 4 Pour the cabbage batter onto the pan and shape into a round about 20 cm (8 in) wide and 3 cm (1¼ in) thick. Lay the pork belly slices on top, slightly overlapping, pressing them gently into the surface.
5. 5 Cook for 5-6 minutes until the underside is deep golden brown. Carefully flip using two spatulas (or one spatula and a lid to help turn it). Press down firmly to keep the cake together.
6. 6 Cook the second side for another 5-6 minutes, pressing occasionally, until the pork belly is cooked through and crisped, and the centre springs back when pressed. If the middle feels heavy or wet, cover with a lid and cook 2 more minutes on low.
7. 7 Slide onto a plate pork-side up. Drizzle okonomi sauce over the top in zig-zags, then squeeze Japanese mayonnaise in thin lines across.
8. 8 Scatter aonori generously over the surface, then pile the katsuobushi on top. The steam will make the bonito flakes curl and "dance" — serve immediately while hot.