Originally posted November 15, 2011

Okonomiyaki // Japanese cabbage pancake

Okonomiyaki is my favorite fridge-cleaning recipe -- especially since cabbage is cheap as chips, and the other ingredients are either in your fridge already, or very easy to find.

Bonito flakes are a nice touch, but not necessary. Same with the furikake -- which is basically chopped up seasoned seaweed mixed with sesame seeds and usually sprinkled on rice. Both are found at Japanese / Asian grocery stores.

Ingredients

1 TB canola oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup water or stock
1 egg
2 cups cabbage, thinly sliced (about 1/4 of a small cabbage)
1 green onion, sliced thinly
Leftovers. (Anything will work as long as it’s chopped into small pieces and isn't super watery.)
Bonito flakes (optional)
Furikake / nori (optional)
Sauce (makes more than required):
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 TB worchestershire sauce
1/4 tsp dijon mustard
2 TB mirin
1 tsp soy sauce
3 TB brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tsp honey

2 servings

Directions

Make the sauce: Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer for about a minute. Adjust to taste — add more soy sauce if it’s too sweet, or add more sugar if it’s too tangy. Cool to room temperature.

Make the okonomiyaki: Combine the flour and water into a smooth paste, then add all of the ingredients and stir through.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Spread and flatten the okonomiyaki mixture until it forms a pancake, about 1.5 cm or 3/4” thick. Fry for 3 minutes.

Flipping it over may seem like a bitch, but here's my cheat: Slide the okonomiyaki out of the pan and onto a plate, cooked side down. Grease the pan with a little bit more oil, then cover the plate with the pan. Flip the whole thing upside down, and done.

Fry for another 3 minutes, then serve with the okonomiyaki sauce. Sprinkle with bonito and furikake, if desired.

30 minutes