Okonomiyaki: Japanese savoury vegetable pancakes
Makes 2 x 30cm pancakes, to serve 4 or more for a meal
Everyone (kids included) loves these delicious veggie-filled savoury pancakes, which are a popular street food in Japan. The name is derived from okonomi, meaning 'as you like it' – and that sums these up: you can add just about any ingredients you like to the mixture to suit your taste and what you have in the fridge (canned jackfruit, grated carrot, kimchi and prawns are other great additions).
These are really quick, easy and fun to make and there is nothing fiddly about them — the generous amount of eggs in the batter means they never fall apart.
The okonomiyaki sauce is optional. You could just use a spicy tomato sauce (ketchup) if it makes life easier — and it will still be super-tasty.
Serve with a salad of mixed leaves, cucumber and avocado.
Why you and your body will love these
Cabbage, kale and Asian greens are members of the brilliant brassica family, which means its brothers and sisters include broccoli, cauliflower, watercress, rocket, kohlrabi, radishes and Brussels sprouts. These veg are amongst the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat and are loaded with vital nutrients and unique ‘phytochemicals’ that have protective effects in the body that may help to prevent many chronic diseases. Okonomiyaki is a clever way cramming loads of these veggies into one delicious package.
What you’ll need
For the okonomiyaki sauce
4 Tablespoons tomato sauce (I use Big Sissy Foods’ Dead Horse)
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (look for a vegetarian version if you don’t eat seafood)
2 Tablespoons oyster or soy sauce (use vegetarian oyster sauce or soy sauce if you don’t eat seafood)
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup and/or apple cider vinegar, to taste
For the pancakes
½ cup (80g) buckwheat flour
½ cup (90g) brown or white rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Murray River salt flakes
1 Tablespoon white miso paste
6 large or extra-large eggs, lightly beaten (I like Feather & PECK pasture raised eggs)
1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup (250ml) vegetable stock
250g (about 1 small) orange sweet potato, skin left on, grated
400g green cabbage (about ¼ small head) , finely shredded – it's easiest to do this on a mandolin
6 kale leaves (ribs removed), or your favourite Asian greens, cut into fine ribbons
150g oyster mushrooms (or any other variety), roughly chopped
½ bunch spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, including plenty of green
½ bunch fresh coriander stalks and leaves, finely chopped
Olive oil, to cook
To serve
Okonomiyaki sauce
Mayonnaise (homemade or bought)
Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
½ bunch of spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal, including plenty of green
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Handful bonito flakes, optional
What to do
Start by mixing the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
To make the pancake batter, place both the flours, salt and baking powder in a very large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk the miso paste together with one of the eggs, then gradually add the remaining eggs, making sure the miso is well mixed through. Add the ginger, sesame oil and the stock, whisking to combine. Stir the egg mixture into the flour bowl and whisk to make a smooth batter.
Add the sweet potato, cabbage, kale or Asian greens, mushrooms, spring onions and coriander to the batter and mix to combine. (I usually hold back some of the cabbage in case there’s a bit too much for the batter, and then gradually add it all if needed.)
Heat a 30cm non-stick or cast-iron frying pan over medium–high heat. Add a little oil and swirl around the pan.
Add half the batter to the pan to make a pancake that’s about 2cm thick, using a spatula or egg slice to neaten the sides and pull the batter slightly away from the edge of the pan, which makes it easier to cut and turn. Don’t be tempted to flatten the pancake, because you want it to rise a little.
Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, adjusting the temperature as needed to avoid burning while still creating a nice golden crust. Use an egg slice to cut the pancake into quarters and then flip each quarter over in the pan. Add a little more oil to the pan so the second side browns nicely, and then cook for another 6 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
To serve, place the okonomiyaki on serving plates and squeeze mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern all over the pancake, and then do the same with the okonomiyaki sauce. Sprinkle with the extra spring onions, coriander, toasted sesame seeds, and a handful of bonito flakes if you like.
Cooked pancakes will keep in the fridge for a couple of days and freeze well too.
© The Green Gourmet, 2021
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