Recipe Round-Up: Okonomiyaki

Consider the cabbage. Anyone who's done time in the British school system, or indeed in any institutional canteen, will have set views on this topic. In terms of general loathing, it comes only second to the brussel sprout -- in fact they belong to the same family, though the brussel sprout (like certain relatives) only turns up for Christmas.

Given the memories of over-boiled stodge, soundtracked by that slopping sound it makes as the dinner lady trowels it onto your plate, it's not hard to believe that last month was the first time I've ever bought a cabbage.

Okonomiyaki is not an easy dish to explain. While 'Japanese pancake' seems to fit best, it can cause confusion as to whether it's a dessert or not. (It's not.) It roughly translates to: 'Whatever you like, pan-fried'. But before you empty your fridge onto the counter, there are some rules. First, there's the batter. Then there's the chopped cabbage. Anything after is a bit of a free-for-all, though a combination of pork, squid, and/or prawns seems to be commonly cited.

The other defining feature of okonomiyaki is the topping: get creative with your squeezy bottles of okonomiyaki sauce (like 'burger' sauce, it's unclear what actually goes into the bottle, but it's near addictive nonetheless) and Japanese mayo (the Kewpie brand seems rather ubiquitous), then hide your work under generous handfuls of katsuo-bushi (fish flakes) and nori (seaweed).

Londoners: There are a few places in central London serving okonomiyaki, such as Abeno and its sister restaurant Abeno Too, but given that they're cheap and pretty simple to make, it's the kind of dish that makes sense to have in rather than out. That said, Abeno make them in front of you on a hot plate, then let you divvy them up with cute little metal spatulas. Pretty fun.  [PS: Turn up early if you don't want to queue.]

Recipe Round-Up: Okonomiyaki

Recipe - Kanako's Kitchen (link)

This is the main recipe I use. Clear instructions, great tip on microwaving the cabbage before cooking, and step-by-step photos. Apart from the sauces, you'll find all the key ingredients at your local supermarket.

Alterations: Due to normal evening time-constraints, instead of the 2 hours of batter-resting recommended, I make the batter first, leave it to rest while I prepare the other ingredients, then combine to make the pancakes. Also, my cooking time is closer to 4 minutes per side, on medium heat.

Recipe - Just Hungry (link)

Highly informative, with detailed descriptions of all the common ingredients. The emphasis on using grated nagaimo has so far put me off trying this recipe, but I've tried adding yamaimo powder to the batter as Maki suggests, which resulted in a gloopier bouncier uncooked batter, but without any significant effect on the final result (to my mind, at least).

Comments

[London Chow]

Just had a seafood okonomiyaki at Angel islington's Tenshi yesterday. I thought that the cabbage tasted a bit raw. Had a better one at Abeno (Museum St). Then again, it's almost double the price and half the size!

[The London Foodie]

Okonomiyaki is the simplest and cheapest Japanese food you can get in Japan (or anywhere else), I think places like Abeno and Abeno Too are totally rip offs.

Last time I made them, I fried them on a hot plate but did not cover the pan. The okonomiyaki was a tad doughy inside, and I felt it had not cooked as well as it should have done. I will make sure to cover the pan next time I make it to ensure it is cooked evenly. I LOVE okonomiyaki - in Hiroshima, it is made with noodles too!

Luiz @ The London Foodie

[Okonomi_Yakity]

Hi. Great post! There's also a lot of great information and recipes about Okonomiyaki at http://okonomiyakiworld.com - Good luck cooking!

[Okonomiyaki Liberalism]

Okonomi sauce is not so mysterious! It's a brown sauce that evolved from the worcestershire sauce that arrived in Japan from the mid-19th century.

Sadly, there's very little of the domestic Japanese variety in okonomi (or similar, such as tonkatsu) sauces reflected on UK Japanese supermarket shelves. Using Otafuku sauce - from Hiroshima - on Osaka-style okonomiyaki is an insult, if a playful one. Osaka and Hiroshima okonomi sauce styles are quite distinct! Just as the UK has its own local variations on this theme. Like Hendersons in Yorkshire.

Okonomi sauces are basically a blend of vegetables, fruit and spices. Not so different from HP. There are a large number of local sauce makers around Japan who produce small batches that taste quite different from the generic. I import my sauces from such makers in Osaka which is a bit expensive, but makes all the difference.

Nagaimo really does help! And use fresh! It really does help the outside of the pancake crunch up.

Not sure about Abeno being a complete rip-off. They have some high rents to deal with in those locations. Yes, the pancakes could certainly be bigger and they could be more generous with sauces!

I showed various Osaka friends the Kansai Special on Abeno's menu:

"Organic Chicken Breast, Fillet Steak, Bacon, Pork, Black Tiger Prawns, Asparagus Tips, Konnyaku, Lotus Root, Mushrooms and Garlic."

£49.95 or ¥6500 at current rates. For a single pancake. There was much disbelief amongst cost-savvy Osakans...