Author Notes: I went to Japan about 10 years ago and while I ate some seriously amazing things, I’d be hard-pressed to remember exactly what they were. That is, except for okonomiyaki, which I first tasted in a cramped corner shop in Kyoto that sold only these delicious savory pancakes. When I came home, my friend Becky—a fellow okonomiyaki nut—and I tried to replicate the recipe to satisfy our cravings. This is by no means authentic and there are a ton of variations, but it sure hits the spot. – Midge —Midge
Food52 Review: Eggy and crisp, Midge’s Kyoto-style pancakes are studded with plump morsels of tender shrimp and threaded through with ribbons of cabbage and rings of scallion. The savory batter is enriched with a dash of sesame oil and soy sauce, and the accompanying soy and sriracha mayo is a zippy accent — we tore off bite-sized pieces of pancake and dunked them in the sauce before gobbling them down. – A&M —The Editors
Makes: roughly a dozen 4 to 5-inch pancakes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients
Sauce
-
1/2
cup mayonnaise
-
2
tablespoons soy sauce
-
2
teaspoons sriracha, more or less to taste
Pancakes
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5
large eggs
-
1
teaspoon soy sauce
-
1
teaspoon sesame oil
-
1
teaspoon sea salt
-
1/3
cup all-purpose flour
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2
cups cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
-
1
bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped
-
3/4
cup (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
-
3/4
cup canola oil for frying (roughly 1 tablespoon per pancake, using more or less as needed)
-
1-2
tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
-
1
pinch bonito flakes (optional)
Directions
- Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.
- Warm a couple glugs of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds and/or bonito flakes on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce and a cold pilsner.
/c8141b5b-2e34-42fc-8cdd-09273b032dbb--2016-1102_okonomiyaki_james-ransom-219.jpg "Okonomiyaki 2")
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Photo by James Ransom
/aaf01e36-51ac-4b9e-a924-e71641ad5141--061511F_514.JPG "Okonomiyaki 3")
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/f33d232a-236e-4002-8524-06b8fb0eab08--061511F_417.JPG "Okonomiyaki 4")
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Forget what you know about pancakes: Egg, bonito flakes, soy sauce, all-purpose flour, cabbage, scallions, shrimp, sriracha, sesame seeds, Hellmann's mayo!
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Photo by Food52
We went with rock shrimp — but use any fresh or frozen shrimp that suits your fancy.
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A mess of scallions (1 whole bunch! — ours added up to about 2 cups) makes this savory pancake batter super flavorful.
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Mayo + sriracha + soy, we dub thee Awesome Sauce.
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5 eggs!
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Hmmm, this sesame oil smells suspect.
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You smell it.
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Eh. Let's go with it.
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A very modest 1/3 cup of flour takes this batter from omelette to pancake — just barely.
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Midge seasons this batter perfectly, with just the right amount of soy, sesame oil and salt (a teaspoon of each).
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A heaping cup of cabbage or, rather, an erupting one.
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It might look like there's crazy amounts of vegetables for the slight batter, but it works out perfectly. Trust us. (Check out how the egg puffs up in the pan!)
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A big cast iron skillet (or any nonstick one) will serve you well here.
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A quick rest on a paper towel-lined plate blots off any oily sheen (and keeps impatient tasters from burning their tongues.)
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Featherlight bundles of umami.
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Ready to hit the streets.
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Photo by Food52
