Okonomiyaki (Osaka Cabbage Pancake)

Method

1. 1
   • wheat flour 120 g
   • water 1¼ dl
   • dashi granules 1 tsp
   • salt ½ tsp

   Rest the batter — Whisk the flour, dashi granules and salt with the water until you have a smooth batter the thickness of double cream. Cover and rest it in the fridge for 20 minutes so the flour hydrates and the pancake cooks up light.

   ⏱20 min
2. 2
   • water 1¼ dl
   • Worcestershire sauce 3 tbsp
   • ketchup 2 tbsp
   • oyster sauce 1 tbsp
   • white sugar 1 tsp
   • mayonnaise 3 tbsp

   Mix the okonomi sauce — Stir together the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, oyster sauce and sugar to make the okonomi sauce. Loosen the mayonnaise with a teaspoon of water so it will pipe in fine lines.

3. 3
   • white cabbage 300 g
   • egg 2
   • spring onion 4

   Fold in the cabbage — Beat the eggs into the rested batter, then add the shredded cabbage and most of the spring onion. Fold with a lifting motion rather than stirring: the batter should barely cling to the cabbage, not drown it.

4. 4
   • pork belly slices 120 g
   • vegetable oil 2 tbsp

   Cook the first side — Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a 24 cm non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spoon in half the mixture and shape it into a round about 2 cm thick, then lay half the pork belly slices flat over the top. Cook for 5-6 minutes without pressing, until the underside is deep golden.

   ⏱6 min
5. 5
   • pork belly slices 120 g

   Flip and crisp the pork — Slide the pancake onto a plate and invert it back into the pan, or flip it confidently with two spatulas. Press down once to settle it and cook for another 5-6 minutes, until the pork is crisp and a skewer pushed through the middle comes out hot.

   ⏱6 min
6. 6
   • spring onion 4
   • mayonnaise 3 tbsp
   • bonito flakes 5 g
   • nori sheets 2

   Sauce and top the pancake — Slide onto a plate, brush with the okonomi sauce, zigzag the mayonnaise over it and finish with the remaining spring onion, a shower of bonito flakes and shredded nori. Cook the second pancake the same way and eat both while the flakes are still dancing.