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Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake “grilled as you prefer it“ together with your selection of protein and engaging condiments and toppings. My recipe for this common Osaka road meals consists of the three key elements that give it a very genuine style.
Amongst all of the Osaka specialties, Takoyaki (たこ焼き) and Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) are essentially the most well-known. At present I’m sharing my favourite Okonomiyaki recipe with you so you may make this common road meals at residence!
What’s Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake. I’ve seen okonomiyaki known as a “Japanese pizza” or “Japanese frittata” within the U.S.
The batter is made with flour, tempura scraps (tenkasu), grated yam (nagaimo or yamaimo), and eggs. It’s then blended with shredded cabbage and generally extra elements like shrimp and squid. A traditional topping is pork stomach slices, positioned on prime of the savory pancake whereas grilling. As soon as cooked, okonomiyaki is topped with quite a lot of condiments reminiscent of okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes.
This dish is extremely adaptable even when you don’t eat pork or favor one other protein selection. The likelihood for the filling and topping decisions are infinite, which is why this dish in Japanese interprets to “grilled as you prefer it” – Okonomi (as you prefer it) Yaki (grill).
Why This Recipe Works
I’ve been making this recipe for my household and pals for over a decade, and everybody loves it.
- Simple and fast to make – Combine all of the elements and prepare dinner!
- Funds-friendly – It’s a satisfying dish with economical elements.
- Household and kid-friendly – Okonomiyaki is customizable, and it’s enjoyable to prepare dinner with household and pals on the desk.
- Freezes and reheats nicely – I make forward for future busy evenings. It’s an excellent meal prep dish!
Substances for Okonomiyaki
To make actually good genuine okonomiyaki, sure elements are crucial. Okonomiyaki tastes a lot better in comparison with variations that omit them. Learn under for vegan/vegetarian choices.
For the bottom batter
- All-purpose flour (plain flour)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Baking powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder like this.
- Grated mountain yam (nagaimo/yamaimo) – Can’t discover it? Take a look at the substations under.
- Dashi (Japanese soup inventory) – By no means made this earlier than? Learn extra about this matter within the part under. Use Vegan Dashi for vegan/vegetarian.
For the Okonomiyaki
- Eggs – Use JUST Egg for vegan.
- Tenkasu (tempura scraps) – Learn extra about this within the part under.
- Pickled pink ginger (kizami shoga)
- Inexperienced cabbage
- Sliced pork stomach (skip for vegan/vegetarian) – That is the most well-liked and traditional topping, however try different choices I listed within the part under.
Make the Greatest Okonomiyaki
Take a look at the recipe card under for the total step-by-step tutorials, however here’s a fast overview:
- Make the bottom batter. It’s stated that making the bottom batter forward of time improves the flavour and fluffiness of the okonomiyaki. It’s as much as you. You’ll be able to not less than relaxation the batter a short while you prep different elements.
- Prep the elements. Lower all of the elements. Be certain to empty the cabbage nicely so the moisture gained’t dilute the batter. The salad spinner is useful!
- Make the okonomiyaki batter. Add eggs, tempura scraps, chopped pink pickled ginger, then finely chopped cabbage. Combine all of them collectively.
- Cook dinner the okonomiyaki batter in frying pans or an electrical griddle. I stated pans (plural) to be able to prepare dinner two savory pancakes at a time.
- Add condiments and toppings. Take pleasure in!
3 Key Substances and Their Substitutes
Let’s deep dive into an important elements for okonomiyaki.
1. Nagaimo (Yamaimo)
That is Japanese lengthy yam (nagaimo) and it’s an important ingredient to yield a non-doughy, fluffy okonomiyaki. Grated nagaimo yields a slimy, slippery, thick liquid, akin to frivolously overwhelmed egg whites. When cooked, it provides quantity to the batter and creates a fluffy okonomiyaki.
Alternatively, you should utilize Japanese mountain yam (yamaimo) as an alternative of nagaimo, however yamaimo is a thick and paste-like texture whereas nagaimo is a free and liquid texture.
Some individuals could get an allergic response (like itching), so you possibly can put on a kitchen glove to grate or wash your fingers shortly.
You should buy nagaimo/yamaimo at Japanese and most Asian grocery shops.
Nagaimo Substitute
After I examined a couple of substitute choices I discovered on the web, I feel the mix of baking powder and overwhelmed egg whites works one of the best.
- Baking powder — It’s an excellent substitute. Since we already add baking powder to this recipe, you’re simply rising it slightly. I might double the quantity within the recipe.
- Overwhelmed egg whites — One other good substitute. Fluffy egg whites add quantity to the savory pancake. Beat 2 egg whites for this recipe.
- Grated taro — I haven’t tried this, but it surely’s one other “slimy and gooey” texture barely just like nagaimo. I might want to do that in the future.
- Nicely-drained tofu — I don’t suppose it should work as nicely, however tofu provides a texture that’s not dense. It could be an okay substitute, however watch out with moisture launched by the tofu, because it dilutes the batter.
- Grated potatoes — NEVER use this as an alternative! The grainy texture of grated potatoes doesn’t have any impact on the okonomiyaki aside from including cooked potato texture. We’re not making potato pancakes!
- Grated lotus root — I haven’t tried this, however I assume it has the same texture as grated potato, so I don’t suppose it might add fluffiness to okonomiyaki.
2. Tenkasu (Tempura Bits/Scraps)
That is one other ingredient to make the batter fluffier. If you see ‘tempura scraps,’ you may marvel when you can keep away from it. Nicely, I perceive it isn’t a wholesome ingredient; nonetheless, many individuals in Osaka declare this is among the most essential elements, subsequent to nagaimo/yamaimo. Fried meals provides wealthy taste, depth, and complexity to the dish.
You should buy a bag of tenkasu from Amazon or Japanese grocery shops.
Tenkasu Substitute
You can also make your tempura scraps utilizing the leftover batter. All you want is to drop the batter into scorching oil and scoop it up when golden brown.
Some individuals on-line recommend substituting tenkasu with Asian shrimp chimps (Kappa Ebisen, かっぱえびせん). I haven’t tried that, but it surely kind of has the same texture and taste.
3. Dashi (Japanese soup inventory)
Dashi, or Japanese soup inventory, is the important thing ingredient for many Japanese meals. It’s what makes Japanese meals genuine. With out dashi, it’s not a real okonomiyaki!
One of the best half is that it’s tremendous fast and simple to make! Please don’t substitute dashi with water, vegetable inventory, or rooster inventory.
There are 3 ways to make dashi.
- Do-it-yourself dashi — You can also make a fundamental Awase Dashi from scratch by steeping kombu (edible kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) in water. Should you’re vegetarian/vegan, use Kombu Dashi or make Vegan Dashi with kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms.
- Dashi packet — The dashi packet is one of the best shortcut technique that I exploit typically. Much like making tea, you steep the dashi packet in water and prepare dinner for a few minutes. Regardless of its fast technique, the flavour of dashi is nice.
- Dashi powder — Dashi powder (dashi granules) is my least favourite technique on account of its lack of taste. The flavour and perfume don’t final lengthy. However you may make a fast dashi with simply dashi powder and scorching water.
Condiments and Toppings
Due to on-line retailers like Amazon, we will get all these Japanese condiments and toppings simply today. Make your okonomiyaki genuine with the next gadgets!
- Okonomiyaki sauce – The style of the okonomiyaki strongly depends on the okonomiyaki sauce. I like the Otafuku model’s Okonomi Sauce, which you will get from Amazon or Japanese/Asian grocery shops. For many who can’t get this sauce, I made a home made model utilizing simply 4 elements. This home made model tastes good, just like Otafuku sauce!
- Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise – Osaka’s specialty, each Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki, has squirts of mayonnaise together with the sweet-savory takoyaki/okonomi sauce. However that is elective even for locals. I like the mix of flavors from each candy savory okonomi sauce and creamy and tangy mayo. You should buy a Kewpie model from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery shops or you may make Do-it-yourself Japanese Mayonnaise.
- Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Flakes) – Katsuobushi is shaved flakes of fermented and smoked bonito and these flakes are tremendous paper-thin! It’s a brilliant umami-rich ingredient that’s used for making dashi (Japanese soup inventory). If you sprinkle them on prime of the okonomiyaki, they dance together with the steam! You should buy it from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery shops. You’ll be able to omit this ingredient when you dislike the fishy odor.
- Aonori (Dried Inexperienced Seaweed) – It’s dried inexperienced (ao) seaweed (nori) flakes/powder. This umami-rich seaweed has a vibrant, intense inexperienced coloration and a novel perfume. You should buy aonori from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery shops. Or you possibly can substitute with common nori when you can’t discover it. Fascinating reality: In historical Japan, ao (pronounced as [ah-o]) means inexperienced within the conventional Japanese language. There have been 4 colours; white, black, pink, and inexperienced. As of late, ao means blue in up to date Japanese.
Non-compulsory Add-On Substances for Okonomiyaki
Apart from the important thing elements above, there are different elements that you would be able to add to the batter.
Can We Use Okonomiyaki Flour (Combine)?
Yow will discover a bag of Okonomiyaki Flour (Combine) at Japanese/Asian grocery shops. Similar to pancake combine, all it’s essential do is add the egg(s) and water to the flour. After making the okonomiyaki batter, add shredded cabbage and different elements, when you like. It’s simple and fast, however I nonetheless prefer to advocate making your individual okonomiyaki batter from scratch at residence!
Okonomiyaki Eating places in Japan
You’ll be able to take pleasure in this dish at okonomiyaki eating places (Okonomiyaki-ya お好み焼き屋) all through Japan. There are often 3 eating choices:
- At a counter in entrance of an enormous teppan (iron griddle), the cooks make them proper in entrance of you.
- At a desk that has built-in teppan (iron griddle), you possibly can prepare dinner your individual, however the employees will assist you to make it when you ask.
- The okonomiyaki is ready and made within the kitchen, and so they place it on a teppan (iron griddle) in entrance of you to maintain it heat.
Apart from eating places, you too can buy steaming scorching okonomiyaki from road distributors throughout festivals (matsuri).
It’s not simple to copy the meals made on a scorching iron griddle at residence, and okonomiyaki made on the iron griddle merely tastes higher. Because of this generally I nonetheless select to go to a restaurant although I could make it simply at residence.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki makes use of virtually the identical elements, however they’re layered somewhat than blended in with the batter like Osaka-style. Not solely that, fried egg and yakisoba noodles (or generally udon noodles) are used as toppings.
Should you favor the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki recipe, click on right here.
What to Serve with Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is made with cabbage, eggs, and flour, so I like to recommend serving it with numerous vegetable and protein-packed facet dishes.
Extra Widespread Japanese Avenue Meals Recipes
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Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki is a scrumptious Japanese savory pancake “grilled as you prefer it“ together with your selection of protein and engaging condiments and toppings. My recipe for this common Osaka road meals consists of the 6 key elements that give it a very genuine style.
Substances
Forestall your display from going darkish
Directions
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Earlier than You Begin: If time permits, let the batter relaxation for not less than one hour (and as much as in a single day) for a fluffier okonomiyaki. Now, collect all of the elements.
To Put together the Base Batter
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In a big bowl, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour (plain flour), ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ¼ tsp sugar, and ¼ tsp baking powder. Combine all collectively.
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Peel and grate 5.6 oz nagaimo/yamaimo (mountain yam) in a small bowl (I exploit a ceramic grater that I like). Be aware: The nagaimo could irritate your pores and skin and trigger itchiness. Work shortly and rinse your fingers instantly after touching the nagaimo. It is extremely slimy and slippery, so ensure you have an excellent grip on the nagaimo when you put on kitchen gloves.
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Add the grated nagaimo and ¾ cup dashi (Japanese soup inventory) to the bowl.
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Combine all of it collectively till mixed and put aside whilst you put together the elements. If time permits, cowl the bowl with plastic wrap, put it within the fridge, and let the batter relaxation for not less than one hour (and as much as in a single day). Tip: Resting the batter relaxes the gluten, improves the flavour, and makes the okonomiyaki fluffier. Some okonomiyaki retailers refrigerate the batter in a single day.
To Put together the Substances
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Discard the core of ½ head inexperienced cabbage and minimize into ½-inch (1.3-cm) slices.
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Then, mince the cabbage strips. Wash the cabbage and drain nicely (I exploit a salad spinner) to take away extra moisture that would doubtlessly dilute the batter.
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Chop ¼ cup pickled pink ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga). Lower ½ lb sliced pork stomach into 4-inch (10-cm) items and put aside.
To Put together the Okonomiyaki Batter
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Should you rested the bottom batter for an hour or longer, take it out from the fridge. Add 4 massive eggs (50 g every w/o shell), ½ cup tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps), and two-thirds of the pickled pink ginger to the bowl. Combine till mixed.
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Add the minced cabbage to the batter, one-third of it at a time. Combine nicely earlier than every addition.
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Examine the consistency of the okonomiyaki batter. Be certain the cabbage is coated nicely within the batter. You do not want to make use of all of the minced cabbage whether it is overpowering the batter.
To Cook dinner the Okonomiyaki
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Put together a big griddle or two massive frying pans with lids to prepare dinner two savory pancakes at a time. Within the pans, warmth a little bit of impartial oil on medium warmth. When it‘s scorching (400ºF or 200ºC), add one portion of the batter to every pan.
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Utilizing spatulas, unfold and form the batter in a circle about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter. We like thicker okonomiyaki (the ultimate thickness is ¾ inches or 2 cm). Should you’re new to creating okonomiyaki, make it smaller and thinner so it’s simpler to flip.
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Place 3 slices of pork stomach on prime of every okonomiyaki and prepare dinner, lined, on medium-low warmth for 5 minutes.
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When the underside facet is properly browned, flip them over.
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Gently press the okonomiyaki to repair their form and hold them collectively. Cook dinner, lined, for one more 5 minutes.
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Flip them over one final time and repair their form. Then prepare dinner, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
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Switch the cooked okonomiyaki to particular person plates. Proceed cooking the remainder of the okonomiyaki.
To Make the Fast Okonomiyaki Sauce (elective)
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Mix 3 Tbsp sugar, ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) oyster sauce, ½ cup (8 Tbsp) ketchup, and 7 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Combine all collectively till the sugar is totally dissolved.
To Serve
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Now, it‘s time to customise your okonomiyaki with the condiments and toppings of your selection. In Japan, we unfold okonomiyaki sauce on prime with a brush or spoon.
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Then, drizzle Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise (you may make my home made recipe) in a zigzag sample. Drag a chopstick tip by means of the mayo each ½ inch (1.3 cm) to create the long-lasting look.
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We prefer to sprinkle the highest with katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), aonori (dried inexperienced laver seaweed), and chopped inexperienced onions/scallions. Lastly, garnish with the remaining pickled pink ginger (you may make my home made beni shoga recipe).
To Retailer
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Wrap every okonomiyaki (with out the sauce or toppings) in aluminum foil and put it in a freezer bag. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 3 days and within the freezer for a month. If you serve, defrost it first and warmth it up in a toaster oven or oven at 350°F (180°C). It‘s an excellent fast meal!
To Cook dinner A number of Okonomiyaki at As soon as
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When you’ve got a Japanese griddle with a lid (we name it a scorching plate), you possibly can prepare dinner a number of items of okonomiyaki directly. In any other case, I like to recommend cooking one okonomiyaki at a time in a frying pan.
Vitamin
Vitamin Details
Okonomiyaki
Quantity per Serving
% Each day Worth*
* % Each day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight-reduction plan.
Editor’s Be aware: The put up was initially revealed on Mar 2, 2011. It was republished with a brand new video, extra useful content material, and new photos on March 1, 2024.
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