Okonomiyaki Recipe – Japanese Savoury Pancakes

Ingredients

For the Batter

• 4 bacon slices sliced, fat & rind removed

• ⅔ cup plain flour / all purpose flour

• 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour

• ½ cup warm water

• 1 tsp dashi powder dissolved in the warm water

• 3 eggs

• ¼ cabbage wombok / napa – finely shredded

• 1-2 spring onion / green onion sliced (half for batter & half for garnish)

• ½ cup corn tinned

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil for cooking

Toppings:

• 2 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise

• 2 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce

• 1 tsp seaweed flakes / aonori

• 1 tsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi

Instructions

1. Fry the bacon until cooked through and crispy, then set aside to cool. No need to use oil here, as the bacon will release its own oil as you cook it. (4 bacon slices)

2. To make the batter, combine the eggs and dashi powder dissolved in the warm water in a small mixing bowl and beat gently. In a separate large mixing bowl add your all purpose flour and cornflour, then pour over with the egg and dashi stock mixture. Stir and combine until smooth. (⅔ cup plain flour / all purpose flour,2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour,1 tsp dashi powder,3 eggs,½ cup warm water)

3. Next, add the shredded cabbage, half of the spring onion, cooked bacon and corn into the batter mixture. Mix until all the dry ingredients are evenly coated (but don’t overmix, we want to keep that cabbage nice and fluffy). There shouldn’t be much excess batter liquid at the bottom – if there is, just add a little more chopped cabbage and mix through gently. (¼ cabbage,1-2 spring onion / green onion,½ cup corn)

4. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add in the vegetable oil and allow to heat up. Scoop out the mixture onto the pan, aiming for a circle shape about 10 cm / 4 inches wide. Cook each pancake for a few mins per side, until lightly browned on both sides. (1 tbsp vegetable oil)

5. Transfer your freshly cooked pancakes to serving plates, then top with drizzles of kewpie mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce. For even better tasting okonomiyaki, top with sprinklings of dried seaweed flakes, bonito flakes and a few slices of green onion to taste. You can also optionally top with the pickled ginger and Japanese 7 spice here. (2 tbsp kewpie mayonnaise,2 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce,1 tsp seaweed flakes / aonori,1 tsp bonito flakes / katsuobushi,1-2 spring onion / green onion)