Okonomiyaki is one of Osaka’s ( Japanese) most well-known dishes. It is well flavored pancake consisting of eggs, cabbage, flour, pork belly and different-2 toppings. Yet, as you journey throughout Japan, you will find that each region has a diverse style of okonomiyaki.
Easy Japanese Okonomiyaki recipe
Ingredients Required
- 200g of flour
- 200g of dashi
- 6cm Nagaimo: grated
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cabbage head
- Favored fillings (pork, seafood etc.)
- Pinch of salt
1. Cut the cabbage into 3 cm long or into thiny slices (0.3 CM)
2. Mixing the flour in the bowl and then the dashi and egg.
3. Peeling and grating the nagaimo. It is quite slim so I would suggest peeling just the bottom half of the nagaimo. So, that you can get a good grip from the skin. If not possible, try to use a kitchen glove or paper towel.
4. Adding the nagaimo and cabbage into the flour mix.
5. Heating your fry pan or hot plate on medium heat, approximately 170 degrees celsius. Then add some vegetable oil. (Canola oil is okay as well!)
6. Add just 2 ladles of dough to the frying pan.
7. Place your favourite ingredients on top (pork, prawns, squid, anything is okay!
8. If the bottom is golden brown, you can flip over. By this time, your topping ingredients should be mixed with the batter so it is easy to flip over.
9. Wait till the flipped side is golden brown . Then you can serve on a plate or just in the frypan or hot plate to keep warm.
10. For the sauce, the ordering is very vital. First, the okonomi sauce is added. Then the mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern. The nori is added and then the katsuobushi. (I didnt have any nori so I went for some shiso instead.
11. Enjoy!
Easy Japanese Okonomiyaki recipe – Toppings
To form a good taste toppings of okonomiyaki are important.
1. Okonomi Sauce
This sauce is sweet and has a strong umami flavour. It can be seen in most Asian supermarkets. Nevertheless, if you want to try your own, you can use ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. easy okonomiyaki
2. Kewpie Mayonnaise
Japan’s most favorite mayonnaise, made by kewpie, isn’t like your regular mayonnaise. One of the major differences in the usage of egg yolks rather than whole eggs contributes to a rich and creamy mayo.
The use of rice vinegar delivers a punchier kick and the final drizzle of MSG adds the extra umami flavour. This mayonnaise forms a superb balance between the sweet and umami-packed okonomi sauce. Also, the creamy mayonnaise. Likewise, it has a short nozzle to spray through. It gives the okonomiyaki its different zigzag appearance.
3. Dried Seaweed (nori)
There are various types of seaweed but the one used for okonomiyaki is known as Nori in Japanese. Nori sort of acts like a herb. You can spray nori on the top of the okonomiyaki. The unusual smell and fragrance on top of the umami point gives an important topping.
4. Katsuboshi
Katsuobushi is the last topping. Katsuobushi is fermented and dried bonito fish. Then, it has been shaven into flakes, delivering a deep but fine taste of fish.
The katsuboshi has to be added last because as it beats the steam from the okonomiyaki. The bonito flakes begin to move as if they were dancing. Not just it gives a dramatic display but also points to the appetite, offering a freshly made, hot okonomiyaki.
5. Others
Toppings are endless so sense free to test with anything that suits your fancy. Some of my favourites are spring onions, shiso and pickled red ginger.
Spring onions and pickled red ginger (‘Beni sugar in Japanese) give a nice crunch and freshness allowing to cut via some of the heftiness of the batter.
Shiso is a Japanese herb, which has a special flavour, with tones of basil, mint and star anise. Its fragrance and brightness is a lovely difference from the meatiness of the pork.
Recommended Japanese restaurants
At most restaurants, you can select which type of okonomiyaki you would like, with various ingredients.
You will then be capable to cook it yourself with a hot plate in the middle of your table. A step-by-step manual is available so you can track it as you go through it. Although it’s rather hard at first to get the picture-perfect okonomiyaki. It is wonderful entertainment for dates and dinner with friends or family. At some higher-end restaurants (Teppanyaki restaurants) you may be placed in front of the chef who owns the hot plate.
Fuugetsu
Fuugetsu is a chain restaurant. It can be found all over Japan. It is a classic restaurant and delivers standard okonomiyaki but is done very well.
The staff makes your okonomiyaki for you in their kitchen and as such.
You can ensure it will be done with the proper methodology and preparation so it is less nuisance.
