Okonomiyaki
Japanese Savoury Pancake

Recipe by Neelam Seolekar

Though it sounds very new to the Japanese cuisine, it is simply nothing but a Japanese savoury pancake made essentially from shredded cabbage, flour, eggs and water and topped with mayonnaise and a Japanese sauce along with any protein of your choice. It’s also called a Japanese pizza many a times.

Ingredients
• 500 g cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 large carrot, finely sliced
• 4 spring onions (scallions), cut finely
(For a non veg option, you could add some cooked pork, chicken or prawn).
• 150 g okonomiyaki flour or tempura flour  
• 100 ml cold water
• 3 large eggs, beaten well  
• little salt and pepper to taste
• oil for frying
For the garnish
• 20/30 g mayonnaise
• 20 g okonomiyaki sauce or bulldog sauce (recipe below) • 5 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes) or aonori (Japanese seaweed) (or a protein of your choice) • (vegetarians can use powdered shiitake mushrooms or sriracha/Togarashi (dried chilli powder) to spice it up).

Method
In a large bowl mix together flour and water, make a smooth batter.
Add the lightly beaten eggs, whisking into the batter.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add the finely sliced carrot, shredded cabbage and chopped spring onions to the batter.
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat, add oil.
Add enough pancake mixture to form a 6” round pancakes, about 1/2" thick, cook till set, flip over onto the other side and cook till golden in colour (3-4 minutes each side).
Slide onto a plate.
Top with bulldog sauce and mayonnaise to form a grill top with bonito flakes or aonori.
Serve hot with pickled ginger and some bulldog sauce on the side.  

The okonomiyaki sauce is essential to this dish.
Ingredients
• 60 ml ketchup • 40 ml Worcestershire  • 30 g sugar or 30 ml honey • 5 ml Kikkoman soy sauce • 30 ml oyster sauce
Optional ingredients for vegetarians
• 1 tsp kombu dashi mixed with 1/4 cup water and 1/2 tsp soy can be added for extra flavour.
Method
Mix ingredients together in a bowl and serve.