What Is Okonomiyaki? | From The Kitchen

After a trip to Kyoto, we discovered the wonders of okonomiyaki and searched for places that served it in Manila. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time to scout around as we had to leave for Singapore as soon as we arrived so I thought I’d continue the search here instead.  The okonomiyaki is pretty much a Japanese pizza / pancake made mostly of vegetables.  It’s tasty, packed with flavors and, if done right, should make for a fairly healthy dish 🙂

I wanted to relive that our Kyoto trip by replicating the meal in my own kitchen and am quite fortunate that all Singapore groceries I’ve been to have an impressive selection of both Asian and Western ingredients.

OKONOMIYAKI RECIPE

1. In a bowl, mix 1 c. flour, 1 egg, 1/4 c.  dashi and 1/2 c water.  Mix into a smooth, semi-runny batter. Set aside.

2. While places can stuff the patties with scallops, beef, shrimp and other yummy things, I chose to keep it lean.  For this recipe, I used only minced chicken.  Marinade the meat in some homemade teriyaki sauce, adjusting the sauce with more ginger for a sharper taste.

3. Finely chop fresh cabbage, leeks then add into the batter along with 4 tbsp of *tempura crumbs.  Again, I didn’t measure but placed enough cabbage to turn the batter into a heavy but loose pancake-like batter.

My proportions of leeks to cabbage would be 2:3 approximately.

*I forgot to buy tempura crumbs and made my own by sprinkling some batter in very hot oil.

4. Heat a large, non-stick pan then adjust to medium fire. Cook the seasoned chicken for a minute then pour batter over it to form into a pancake. When bottom sets, use a spatula and flip. I didn’t have a standard spatula so I improvised by using a large butter knife and a flat slotted spoon 🙁

Adjust to low fire. Keep flipping the okonomiyaki until the sides brown.

5. Turn the fire off then slather with tonkatsu sauce (Bulldog brand) using a brush and top with Japanese mayonnaise.  Note that it’s crucial that one uses the Japanese kind to achieve the right flavor.  And yes, it tastes different.

Top with katsuboshi flakes (bonito flakes) and shredded seaweed.

Slice like a pizza, put onto your plate and enjoy.

Itadakimasu!

🙂

(Reposted from my old blog: isuperlovelife.blogspot.com)