Japanese Cabbage Pancakes - Okonomiyaki Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which cabbage is best for okonomiyaki? ›

Nappa cabbage has a more prounounced flavor and softer texture while round cabbage has crunchy neutral flavor and texture. But you can throw whatever you want in Okonomiyaki. There is no rule for that, it just ingredients mixed with batter finished with the typical sauce.

Enjoy one of the easiest and most delicious delicacies in Japanese cuisine with this okonomiyaki savoury pancake recipe. Okonomiyaki literally means 'grilled as you like it', and is made from seasoned flour, cabbage, and various fresh meats and vegetables mixed together and cooked in a frying pan just like a pancake.

Shred the cabbage finely.

If your cabbage is too chunky, they won't hold together well, and they'll have a denser, less delicate texture. I always use my mandoline when I make this recipe. If you don't have one, finely shred the cabbage in a food processor or with a sharp knife.

Okonomiyaki is healthy!

Because Okonomiyaki is made from various kinds of ingredients, such as eggs, meat and vegetables, it contains much of our daily nutritional requirements.

The word "okonomiyaki" is derived from "okonomi" meaning "as you like" and "yaki" meaning "grilled. It's commonly referred to as being a Japanese pancake. Accurate to its name, okonomiyaki can be served with a variety of toppings which include everything from meat and seafood to vegetables and cheese.

But what is okonomiyaki flour? Okonomiyaki flour is made of unbleached wheat and soy flours, leavening and spices such as kelp for flavor. It's designed to rise naturally on its own, meaning you don't need to add extra ingredients like nagaimo to get thick, fluffy pancakes.

Okonomiyaki Flour Substitutes: If you don't have Okonomiyaki Flour, you can substitute all-purpose flour. The best think is to use regular flour, but then also add some yam starch or potato starch or rice flour to make the batter more sticky.

These are actually bonito flakes (Katsuobushi), dried tuna shavings that are known to “dance” from the hot food and steam because of how thin the flakes are. It's made from fish that is dried, smoked and grated into flakes, becoming a staple ingredient in many Japanese dishes.

The main difference is in how they are prepared and the relative amounts of each ingredient. In Osaka style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are mixed together and cooked together. In Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake.

Japanese yam (either yamaimo which is mountain yam or nagaimo which is long yam), help give the batter a fluffy, bouncy texture. Sometimes people make okonomiyaki without it (just add more baking powder), but I prefer it since it really makes the texture much better.

What is okonomiyaki sauce made from? ›

Like ketchup and Worcestershire sauce, okonomiyaki sauce is made from fruits and vegetables, sugar, and vinegar, along with the additions of kelp, soy sauce, and shiitake mushrooms.

Okonomiyaki has a delightfully complex flavor that is sweet, spicy (from pickled ginger), savory, and smoky. It has a delicious crispy, creamy texture. The ingredients and toppings combine to create a distinct flavor that will make you want to order okonomiyaki as often as possible.

Make sure you only add the batter to the vegetables at the last minute before cooking. If you leave the vegetables in the batter too long, the water will come out and you'll have a soggy mess that's impossible to flip without breaking.

Once cooked, okonomiyaki is topped with a variety of condiments such as okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes.

Hiroshimayaki. A close cousin to okonomiyaki is hiroshimayaki, or Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. Although the ingredients are similar, the cooking process for hiroshimayaki is quite different.

Savoy Cabbage

And that texture gives a slight elasticity, which makes the leaves ideal for dishes like stuffed cabbage or cabbage rolls. We also love savoy sliced in soup, as a green in salads, and of course, in slaws. Cabbage will never be able to escape the slaw life. And that's fine with us.

Napa cabbage is one of the most widely produced vegetables in Japan. It is also known as Chinese cabbage, or hakusai in Japanese, and is in season from autumn through late winter. Said to have originated in the Mediterranean region, napa cabbage was introduced to Japan via China in the late nineteenth century.

Sweetheart cabbage is sweeter and more tender than ordinary cabbage and doesn't take so long to cook.

Many people prefer savoy cabbage to regular cabbage because of its milder flavour and tender leaves. This is the perfect cabbage for using raw and thinly sliced in salads, stir-fries, or braised with butter. Savoy cabbage works nicely as a fresh and crunchy wrap – you can substitute it for rice paper or tortillas.