Okonomiyaki - Japanese Savoury Pancakes
A popular Japanese street food, Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake with cabbage and selected toppings
Equipment
- Non-stick pan or a well-seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with lid
Ingredients
For The Batter
- 1⅓ cups all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons corn starch / potato starch
- 1 cup shredded cabbage Any variety
- ½ cup Daikon or any white radish, pureed
- 1 cup scallions / spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 teaspoon Ginger crushed or finely minced
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon white pepper powder
- ½ cup cold sparkling or still water
- salt to taste
Filling
- 6 large prawn / shrimp peeled, you could use any raw seafood mix or substitute with any seafood, chicken, pork or tofu and mushroom if you like.
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil, salt and pepper to taste to marinate the prawns
- 4 strips of bacon you could use turkey bacon or completely omit this protein altogether
Garnish / Topping
- ½ cup scallions / spring onions, finely sliced
- store bought Okonomiyaki or Kastu sauce Available at any supermarket Asian section
*TIP: You can make your own Okonomiyaki sauce -
Mix equal parts Oyster Sauce, Worcestershire Sauce and ketchup. You can use less or more ketchup depending on your desired level of sweetness.
- Mayonnaise *The chef recommends Kewpie Mayonnaise (Available at any supermarket Asian section)
- Bonito Flakes *Optional. Available at any supermarket Asian section
Instructions
- Combine all the batter ingredients by mixing all the dry ingredients first (1⅓ cups all purpose flour, 3 tablespoons corn starch / potato starch, 1 teaspoon white pepper powder) then adding the ½ cup water, 1 egg and finally folding 1 teaspoon ginger crushed and the vegetables (1 cup shredded cabbage, ½ cup Daikon or any white radish, pureed and 1 cup scallions / spring onions, finely sliced). The batter should have the consistency of a very heavily dressed coleslaw Keep the batter aside to ferment at room temperature for at least 30 mins. The batter will thin out as moisture will seep out of the vegetables. Mix the batter again before cooking.
- Marinate 6 large prawns with a little salt, pepper & 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil for at least 15 mins prior to cooking
- Once the batter has fermented and you are ready to cook, pre-cook 4 strips of bacon in a non stick pan on a medium heat. Keep aside. In the same pan at the same heat setting, lightly sear the prawns in the bacon grease for 10 seconds on either side. Put aside.
- Using the same pan with the bacon grease, turn your heat setting down to low. Stir the batter again, and spoon in a big pancake size dollop of batter into the pan.
- Push the bacon and the cooked prawns into the batter while it is still wet. Drizzle in some more batter over the bacon and prawns so they set into the batter. Cover with lid and turn up the heat to medium.
- Once you see the sides of the okonomiyaki solidify and give away from the pan (about five minutes) you can flip the "pancake" and cook with the lid off for a few more minutes, until cooked through. Remove from pan and put on a plate.
- Spread an even thin layer of Okonomiyaki / Katsu sauce on the cooked pancake and drizzle over the mayonnaise*. *The Chef recommends Kewpie mayonnaise
- Top with chopped spring onions / scallions and sprinkle a handful of Bonito Flakes on the top.
- Watch the Bonito Flakes dance around and dig right in. Works great in a lunchbox as well.