Can I cook two okonomiyaki at the same time?

Yes, if you have a large iron plate or two frying pans. The cooking time remains the same whether making one or two pancakes simultaneously.

What is dashi stock and can I substitute it?

Dashi is Japanese soup stock made from kombu seaweed and bonito flakes. You can substitute with vegetable or chicken stock, though the authentic flavour will be lighter.

What do the toppings mean in okonomiyaki?

Okonomiyaki means 'grilled as you like it'—aonori is green seaweed flakes, benishoga is red pickled ginger, and katsuobushi is dried bonito flakes that dance from the heat.

Can I make okonomiyaki without meat?

Yes, omit the pork or replace it with extra vegetables like mushrooms, corn, or cheese for a vegetarian version.

What is the best sauce for okonomiyaki?

Bulldog tonkatsu sauce is traditional and recommended. Worcestershire sauce mixed with ketchup and a touch of sugar works as a homemade alternative.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)

Name: Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1½ cups flour; 350ml (11.8oz) dashi stock; 1 egg; 140g (4.9oz) shredded cabbage; 70g (2.5oz) shredded cabbage; 2 eggs; 120g (4.2oz) thinly sliced pork ((Note 1)); ¼ cup katsuobushi ((dried bonito flakes)); Bulldog tonkatsu sauce ((Note 2)); Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise ((optional, Note 3)); Aonori ((dried seaweed flakes)); Benishoga ((red pickled ginger)); Katsuobushi ((dried bonito flakes))

1

Place flour and dashi in a bowl. Mix well until the batter becomes smooth and lump free. I use a whisk.

2

Add cabbage, an egg and mix well.

3

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large fry pan or an iron plate over medium heat.

4

Using a ladle, pour little bit less than half of the batter (Note 5) onto the fry pan/iron plate and spread the batter to make a round pancake (diameter is about 18cm/7”).

5

Place half of the Topping cabbage on the pancake. Make a well in the middle of the cabbage. Crack an egg in the well.

6

Spread half the pork over the pancake covering the entire surface. Then sprinkle half the katsuobushi over it.

7

Fill a bit of batter in a ladle and drizzle it back and forth in across the surface (Note 5). Do not cover the entire surface. All you need is to drop some batter across the meat pieces so that they don’t get separated when cooked.

8

Cook for about 10 minutes until the bottom of the pancake is light golden brown and when you lift the pancake with a spatula, the pancake does not bend much.

9

Turn it over with a spatula and cook for another 10 minutes or until the bottom of the pancake is light golden brown.

10

Turn it over again so that the topping side is facing up. Stick a chopstick in the centre of the pancake and remove it to see if the middle of the pancake is cooked through. If the chopstick is clean and dry, then it is ready to eat.

11

Transfer the pancake to a plate.

12

Repeat for the second pancake.

13

Drizzle sauce over the surface of the pancake, then Kewpie mayonnaise in the same way if using. Sprinkle aonori, benishoga and katsuobushi if using.

14

Cut the pancake into quarters and serve immediately.