Okonomiyaki

A savory cabbage pancake, okonomiyaki translates literally to “as you like it, fried (or grilled)” and lives up to that name. Other than shredded cabbage, dashi batter, plus egg for structure and texture, you can pretty much add whatever you want. (Traditionally, nagaimo yam is also added to the batter to impart a specific texture, but many will do without when it’s unavailable.)

There are two types of okonomiyaki associated with different regions of Japan: Hiroshima, and Osaka. Osaka is the more common type, with the ingredients mostly being mixed together, while Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki is “deconstructed” in layers and usually including a layer of yakisoba noodles and often an egg on top.

Some common additions in okonomiyaki include green onion, crumbled nori, seafood like small shrimp, chopped octopus, or squid, tempura bits, and pickled ginger. Thinly-sliced pork belly or, failing that, bacon strips are often added to one side to give a meaty, salty crunch.

After grilling, diners will usually add stripes of dark brown, sweet-and-savory okonomiyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise on top. Katsuobushi dried bonito flakes, crumbled nori, and green onions are popular toppings too, sprinkled on top as soon as the okonomiyaki comes off the griddle — the rising heat from the surface make the bonito flakes and nori “dance” with the steam.

Okonomiyaki is one of the perfect foods: It’s easy to make, fast, you can make it with whatever you’ve got on hand (as long as you have cabbage), healthy, cheap, and almost impossible to get tired of. And you can get all the ingredients at Uwajimaya!