Making Okonomiyaki - Add whatever you like in it!

Okonomiyaki お好み焼きis a savoury Japanese pancake which literally means “fry as you like”. True to its name, it is a simple dish where you could literally add whatever ingredients that you like into the mix!

The recipes and ingredients may differ from region to region in Japan, but there are two main varieties of Okonomiyaki in Japan, namely: Kansai and Hiroshima. In the Kansai version of Okonomiyaki, you mix all the ingredients in the batter before frying. On the other hand, with the Hiroshima style, egg noodles are added and they are usually at the bottom-most layer of the Okonomiyaki and the ingredients are fried in layers. I love both variations but the Kansai style is the easiest to make!

Here, I’m going to share with you all my own version of the Kansai style Okonomiyaki.

What do you need?

Batter (2-3 servings)

200 g plain flour

150 g thinly sliced pork or bacon

50 g rice flour (*my own twist – to make it crispy)

100 ml dashi stock (or chicken stock)

100 ml water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt (adjust accordingly to taste)

0.5 teaspoon sugar (adjust accordingly to taste)

caramelized onions (optional)

edamame beans (optional)

300-400 g cabbage

Garnishing

bonito flakes

pickled ginger (optional)

Sauce

Mayonnaise

Okonomiyaki sauce

If you don’t have access to Okonomiyaki sauce, you can make your own:

Oyster sauce
Tomato sauce
Salt and sugar to taste
Worcestershire sauce or vinegar

Sachets of Bonito flakes and dashi stock

How to make it?

Add in the plain flour and rice flour together with salt and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well.

2. Next add in dashi stock and water. Mix well.

Add in dashi stock and water into the flour mixture to form the batter

3. Then you may add in the toppings of your choice into the batter mix. In my case, I’ve added in shredded cabbage, eggs, julienned carrots, caramelised onions and edamame beans. Mix everything well.

Mixing the ingredients in the batter. At this point, the mixture looks like coleslaw xD

4. Heat up a frying pan and add in cooking oil. When the pan starts to heat up, pour in two scoopfuls of the batter on the frying pan. Lay the thin meat slices on top of the Okonomiyaki. Put on the lid to let it simmer for at least 5 minutes.

5. Flip the pancake over and close the lid to let the other side simmer for another 3-4 minutes.

Flip the pancake and let the other side cook.

6. Serve the Okonomiyaki on a plate. Garnish it with Bonito flakes, mayonnaise and Okonomiyaki sauce (see above recipe). And voila, it is ready to be eaten piping hot!