Okonomiyaki (Japanese cabbage pancakes)
Inspired by and adapted from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Bonnie, Carnegie Hill CSA & Lori, Yorkville CSA These Japanese pancakes are an interesting side dish or main dish for lunch. In some Japanese cities, including Osaka, they are a popular street food.They make a delicious and filling vegetarian meal, but in Japan, shreds of meat—including beef, pork belly, and all kinds of seafood—are sometimes added to the batter.Top them with mayonnaise flavored with chili or horseradish. After you’ve tried them, you’ll find lots of ingredients to add to the batter or topping, such as bonito flakes, wasabi paste, olives, pickled ginger, roasted pepper, or cheese. Traditionally, the batter is cooked as one large pancake. You may find it’s easier to flip them if you fry them in smaller sizes.
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour or flour mixed with panko
- 5 large eggs
- 1 TBS olive oil
- 1 cup water more or less
- 5 cups red or green cabbage or a mixture, shredded
- 3 TBS chopped scallions chives, shallots, or onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 TBS vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, eggs, olive oil, and ½ cup water until smooth, adding more water if necessary, to create a thin batter. Fold in the shredded cabbage and scallions and mix well so that all the cabbage is coated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy 10” to 12” skillet. When it is very hot, spoon in the batter and spread it so that it makes one large pancake, going almost to the edges of the pan; use about one quarter of the batter, more or less depending on the size of your pan. Flatten the batter with a pancake turner and allow it to fry for 3-4 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Slide the pancake turner underneath the pancake to loosen it, then use two turners to flip it. Fry the other side for 3 or 4 minutes as well.
- Add your choice of topping, cut into wedges, and serve hot.