Guest Author - Sherry Van Der Elst
Okonomi-yaki, an unsweetened vegetable pancake, apparently is the Japanese equivalent of pizza. The name okonomi-yaki means “as you like it.”
While okonomi-yaki can be made with any combination of meats and vegetables, cabbage and eggs are a standard component of this dish.
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup dashi (see recipe link below)
2 large cabbage leaves
1 egg
4 oz ground pork or chicken
Vegetable oil
1/2 tsp dried bonito flakes
1. In a small bowl, whisk together first two ingredients and set aside.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add dashi in a slow stream, whisking until just incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic and let stand 30 minutes.
3. Remove hard sections of cabbage leaves and slice into thin strips. Lightly beat egg with a fork in a separate bowl. Fold egg, cabbage and ground meat into batter and stir lightly.
4. Add just enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a skillet and heat over medium heat. Pour in enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. When edges begin to turn golden brown, carefully invert pancake onto a plate and return to skillet to brown the other side.
5. Remove skillet from heat, lightly brush pancake with Worcestershire/soy mixture, and sprinkle with 1/2 of the bonito flakes. Invert pancake onto a plate and repeat steps. Serve immediately.
