Homemade Okonomiyaki: A Savory Japanese Pancake Recipe Plus a Writing Prompt
Part of the fun of traveling is trying new foods. Whenever I go to a new restaurant, whether it is nearby or in another country, if I taste something I like, I want to figure out a way to prepare it at home.
Two weeks ago I posted about my trip over the holidays to meet up with my son’s family in Japan. One of the items I ate for the very first time, that intrigued me were the savory pancakes called, Okonomiyaki. They are delicious, different and a satisfying one-dish dinner. These pancakes are not just served in Japan, they are enjoyed in various forms through-out Asia, including in Indonesia. With so many versions and interpretations, I decided to try and make my own in the United States.
In addition to eggs and flour, a basic ingredient is shredded cabbage and bean sprouts. You can add more vegetables and a protein such as sliced pork, chicken, beef, shrimp or bay scallops. In Japan your Okonomiyaki might contain octopus or squid. Or you can make them entirely vegetarian.
The one thing to keep in mind is these pancakes are best served fresh, hot off the griddle. Maybe the ones I created did not look as fancy as the ones we had in the restaurants in Japan, but they tasted good. These were my first attempt, so I’m sure they will improve, as I refine my cooking technique.
Just like anything else, be it learning the art of writing or the skill of navigation, everything takes practice, including cooking. By trying new things, we expand our abilities.
To make my cooking adventure more fun, I invited two friends to join us for dinner. It’s always good to get a little help as well as feedback. So, in one of the little posted videos, you’ll see my friend Vicki mixing up the Okonomiyaki batter.
We have no Asian markets in our community, although we do have a variety of grocery stories. I visited three, in order to try and find the ingredients I needed. I did not find everything, so in a few cases I had to substitute. In life, we often have to make do with what we have. I think I came close to achieving a tasty result.
RECIPE FOR OKONOMIYAKI
These are the ingredients you’ll need with some suggested substitutions
This recipe created five large pancakes-
Enough to serve four people after an initial first course of soup
Begin Your OKONOMIYAKI Cooking Adventure by putting together the batter.
Double this if you want to serve larger portions or have a larger crowd
Batter
1 1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
4 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup of vegetable or chicken broth (unsalted)
6 beaten eggs
½ a head of finely shredded cabbage
2 sliced spring onions/scallions
1 cup of fresh beansprouts
1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil for cooking
Protein Ideas These are the three items I used
For you portions ; figure on 4 oz per pancake.
Thin strips of sliced pork marinated in ginger sauce
½ inch cubes of boneless chicken marinated in oyster sauce
12 large shrimp, deveined and cleaned.
But you could use steak, scallops of tofu
I stir fried these items in one of the two large frying pans where I was planning to cook the pancakes, set them aside and set them on top. This presentation is called “Hiroshima Style.”
An alternate approach would be to cook the protein and then pour the batter for the pancake on top, thus the chicken, shrimp or pork would have been inside the pancake instead of sitting on top. When all the ingredients are inside the pancake, this is “Osaka Style.” I will probably take that approach the next time I prepare these.
If you want to go totally vegetarian, a nice presentation would be to serve the Okonomiyaki on a bed of wilted spinach or Baby Bok choy leaves surrounded by sauteed mushrooms, sliced sweet potato or zucchini.
Important are the toppings:
Bonita flakes
Seaweed flakes
Chopped fresh scallions
Plus drizzles of Kewpie Mayonaise and Okonomiyaki sauce (I substituted Japanese Barbecue Sauce)
We also had Yum Yum Sauce, which reminds me of Thousand Island Salad dressing
Pickled Ginger
Pickle Salad
Some other unconventional ideas for toppings: a chopped herb such a cilantro, sesame seeds,shaved carrots, alfalfa sprouts
DIRECTIONS
Mix up your dry ingredients and then add the eggs and broth
When well mixed, fold in the vegetables so they are completely coated with batter. If you
Have more batter at the bottom, consider adding more vegetables.
Heat up the oil, and if possible, get two large frying pans going. Sautee your protein on medium heat, making certain it is thoroughly done and either remove or immediate pour a large circle of batter (aprox. 6–8 “ diameter ie. something you can flip) while the grease is still sizzling.
Nadja cooking the pancakes.
Cook on one side until golden brown ( 4 minutes depending on heat level) and flip. When second side is down, transfer to a serving platter to add the toppings. If you don’t have the meat or seafood inside the pancake, arrange it on top. Then add the Bonita Flakes, Seaweed, Sauce and Mayonnaise and anything else you think will enhance presentation. Have fun and invite your guests to participate.
The name Okonomiyaki, according to various food historians, was first used in the 1930s in Osaka The savory wheat pancake became popular during World War II and afterwards as a result of diminishing rice supplies. The folding pancake, was a cheap way to feed a starving population.But as the Japanese economy became more stable, more ingredients and toppings were added, Okonomiyaki became a go-to item, often called the Japanese Pizza. Today it is sought after by diners from all over the world whenever they visit Japan.
Trying something new, gives me an idea for a WRITING PROMPT.
WRITING PROMPT ON TRYING SOMETHING NEW
Think of something you did for the first time. Maybe it’s driving a car, sewing curtains or shooting a gun. It could be anything. Were you scared? Were you excited? Did you feel some other type of emotion. Write down your memory of what took place. Don’t forget to try and access all five senses, as they applied to your experience.
Take the scene in another direction, and have a fictional character, perhaps a character included in a story you’re already working on, do something for the first time. How much tension can you build as they succeed or don’t succeed in mastering a new skill?
Maybe you’ll acquire some new insights and ideas to improve your writing, or learn something important about yourself. It’s all a process. Enjoy.
Thank you for reading.and feel free to share your comments and any questions. If you enjoyed this post and want to support my writing, consider purchasing my little chapbook filled with short essays and poems, RECIPES FROM MY GARDEN .
Don’t miss a future post by signing up for FREE to receive an email each time I post on WordPress, Medium or Substack- depending on which platform you prefer. It’s a New Year. Enjoy each moment and if you’re a writer, keep writing those sentences.
Originally published at http://nadjamaril.com on January 21, 2025.
