Japanese Okonomiyaki

My fascination with okonomiyaki began in a tiny restaurant in Osaka, where I watched in awe as the chef created these savory pancakes on a large griddle, flipping them with dramatic flair and finishing with a crosshatch of sauces. The name translates roughly to “grilled as you like it,” reflecting the dish’s adaptability.

Back home, recreating this street food favorite became a weekend project. Without a specialized griddle, I adapted the technique for a standard skillet, discovering that the charm of okonomiyaki lies in its forgiving nature – each one unique, reflecting the ingredients at hand and the cook’s preferences, just as the name suggests.

Ingredients:

For the batter:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups dashi or chicken stock
• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

• 6 cups cabbage, very thinly sliced
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 carrots, grated
• 1/2 cup tempura scraps (tenkasu) or crispy fried onions
• 8 ounces protein of choice (thinly sliced pork belly, shrimp, or tofu)

For the toppings:

• Japanese mayonnaise
• Okonomiyaki sauce (or mix 3 parts ketchup, 1 part Worcestershire sauce, 1 part soy sauce)
• Aonori (dried seaweed flakes)
• Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• Pickled ginger

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, dashi, eggs, and salt until smooth
2. Add cabbage, green onions, bean sprouts, carrots, and tempura scraps to the batter
3. Fold gently to combine, being careful not to overmix
4. Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat and oil lightly
5. For each pancake, ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the mixture onto the skillet and spread into a circle about 1-inch thick
6. If using pork belly, arrange slices on top of the pancake
7. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the bottom is golden brown
8. Flip carefully (it helps to slide onto a plate first, then invert back onto the skillet)
9. Cook for another 4-5 minutes until both sides are golden and the inside is cooked through
10. Transfer to a serving plate
11. Drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and zigzag with Japanese mayonnaise
12. Sprinkle with aonori and katsuobushi flakes, which will “dance” from the heat
13. Add pickled ginger on the side
14. Serve hot, cutting into wedges to share

Note: Authentic okonomiyaki contains nagaimo (mountain yam), which adds a sticky, glutinous quality to the batter. If you can find it, grate 4 ounces and add to the batter. Don’t worry if your first few attempts aren’t perfectly shaped – okonomiyaki is meant to be rustic. For a fun dinner party, set up a build-your-own station with various toppings and fillings, letting guests customize their pancakes.