Okonomiyaki
Photography Sarah Tuck.
I have read a great deal about these classic Osaka-style Okonomiyaki – described as everything from Japanese pancakes to pizza – but to me, they’re more like a Japanese take on the good old Kiwi corn fritter. The name translates as “Grilled what you like” and in Japan they’re made with grated nagaimo or yamaimo, a glutinous yam, but I’ve found they still work perfectly in this slightly simplified version. Feel free to add fillings “as you like” and enjoy for lunch or a casual dinner.
Serves: 4
INGREDIENTS
1½ cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon caster sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup dashi, diluted in fish stock or water
½ cabbage finely shredded (you need 8 cups)
3 spring onions, chopped
¼ cup sushi ginger, sliced (or use the traditional Beni Shoga)
1 cup chopped cooked prawns
200 grams streaky bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons flavourless oil (such as rice bran)
To serve:
okonomi sauce (you can also use tonkatsu sauce, or Worcestershire sauce)
mayonnaise (such as Japanese Kewpie brand)
katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes – optional)
aonori seaweed flakes (or substitute with finely sliced wakame)
finely sliced spring onions (optional)
pickled ginger (optional)
toasted sesame seeds (optional)
METHOD
Sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into a bowl.
Whisk eggs and dashi together, then whisk into the flour mixture to create a smooth batter. Leave to sit for 30 minutes.
Mix cabbage, spring onions, ginger, prawns and bacon into the batter. Heat oil on a hot plate over medium heat and spoon on mixture to create 4 to 6 fritters, depending on the size you would like. Cook for four minutes before carefully flipping to cook another four minutes.
Serve topped with okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, katsuobushi and aonori.
Miniature versions would be great served with drinks, while 4 big okonomiyaki would serve 4 for lunch, and for dinner with a side – I suspect a poached egg on top would be great too!
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In Dream Escape, we journey from Japan and Morocco to Italy, India and beyond, sharing recipes inspired by travel, heritage and comfort. We celebrate the champions of the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, explore the stories and recipes of chefs shaped by their cultural roots, and warm up with everything from West African soups and slow-braised lamb to porchetta, butter chicken and beef noodle soup. Alongside destination menus, Scandinavian sweets and cosy pub classics, Chrisanne Terblanche shares her favourite street-side dining spots in Bangkok, while Yvonne Lorkin explores red wine varietals. This issue, we invite you to slow down, turn the pages and escape through food.