“As You Like” Savory Pancake
Summer is time for abundance and we have a delicious recipe using cabbage. These simple, savory pancakes were born after the war in Japan when there was a shortage of rice. Decades later they are as popular as ever. There are even restaurants in Japan specializing in okonomiyaki and many Japanese restaurants in America have the dish on their menus.
Okonomiyaki means “as you like” and as the name suggest, add the ingredients of your choice to create your own original pancake. Here in the US where we live, very thin slices of pork belly that are traditionally used can be hard to find, but bacon makes a delicious substitute.
Okonomoyaki
Originating from Osaka, Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake made from shredded cabbage, flour and a variety of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1/2 head Shredded Cabbage
- 8 strips Bacon, about 5 inches in length
- 1 cup Tempura flour or Okonomiyaki flour
- 1 cup water or dashi stock
- 4 teaspoon vegetable oil
- Pinch Sakura Ebi ( as desired )
- Japanese Mayonaise
- As Needed Bonito Flakes
- As Needed Shichimi Pepper
- Okonomiyaki or Tonkatsu Sauce
Instructions
Mix tempura flour and dashi or water to make a batter in a consistency of pancake batter.
Add shredded cabbage and dried shrimp (if using) to the batter and mix well. If the batter seems too wet, add more flour. If too thick, add more water.
Heat frying pan on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil then lay two pieces of bacon. When bacon starts to sizzle, add one quarter of cabbage mixture on top of bacon and cook on low heat until bottom surface is slightly brown. Flip the pancake using spatula and cook the other side about 5 minutes on low heat. When cabbage is soft and tender and cooked through, set the pancake on a warm plate.
Cook three more pancakes.
Serve individual okonomiyaki on a plate. Top it with Tonkatsu sauce, mayonnaise and sprinkle of bonito flakes. Serve warm.
