Okonomiyaki
Savoury Japanese cabbage pancakes topped with pork belly and finished with a sweet brown sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes and seaweed.
Method
- 1
Stir the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- 2
Heat the oven to 100°C so you can keep the cooked pancakes warm.
- 3
Whisk the flour, baking powder and dashi to a smooth batter, then beat in the eggs.
- 4
Fold in the cabbage, spring onions and pickled ginger until every shred is coated. It should look like mostly cabbage, loosely held together by batter.
- 5
Heat half a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan over medium heat.
- 6
Spoon in a quarter of the mixture and shape it into a round about 18 cm across and 2 cm thick, without pressing it down.
- 7
Lay 2 slices of pork belly on top and cook until the underside is deep golden.
- 8
Flip the pancake with two fish slices so the pork is underneath, then cover and cook until the cabbage is tender and the centre feels springy.
- 9
Uncover, flip once more and cook for a final minute to firm up the base.
- 10
Slide onto a tray and keep warm in the oven while you cook the remaining 3 pancakes the same way.
- 11
Brush each pancake with the sauce, zigzag mayonnaise across the top and finish with bonito flakes and aonori. Serve hot.
Notes
- Keep the batter scant. Too much flour makes the pancakes heavy rather than tender.
- A few tablespoons of grated nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam) beaten into the batter makes the pancakes lighter and fluffier.
- Prawns or squid can replace the pork belly. Lay them on the batter in the same way.
Equipment
Large non-stick frying pan with a lid, Large mixing bowl, Two fish slices, Small bowl, Baking tray