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1
Whisk together the flour, water, egg, and dashi powder to a thin, smooth batter — the consistency should coat a spoon lightly, closer to a crepe batter than a pancake batter. No lumps should remain. Rest for 10 minutes.
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2
Heat the teppan to medium. Cook the yakisoba or udon noodles directly on the griddle, turning them until heated through and lightly coloured at the edges. Season lightly with a small amount of Otafuku sauce. Keep warm to one side. The noodles must be fully cooked at this stage — they will not cook further once enclosed in the stack.
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3
Pour a ladleful of batter onto the teppan and spread it immediately into a thin, even circle of approximately 20 cm — the batter should be translucent and delicate, not opaque. Cook undisturbed on medium heat until the surface is just set and the edges lift cleanly from the griddle.
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4
While the crepe is still on the heat, place the full mountain of shredded cabbage directly onto the batter circle. The quantity will appear excessive — this is correct. Layer the bean sprouts, chopped spring onion, tenkasu, and dried shrimp over the cabbage in sequence. Lay the thin-sliced pork belly across the top as the final layer. Do not mix. Each component occupies a distinct stratum. This is where the dish lives or dies: any mixing at this stage dissolves the architecture that defines Hiroshima okonomiyaki and produces Osaka-style instead.
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5
Press the entire stack firmly and repeatedly with a flat spatula. Raise the heat slightly. The cabbage should begin to wilt and compress; steam will rise from the stack. Continue pressing at intervals until the tower reduces to roughly 30% of its original height and the layers cohere sufficiently to hold together. The stack should feel firm and unified under the spatula rather than loose and separate.
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6
Place the portion of cooked noodles alongside the stack on the teppan, forming a flat noodle bed of the same diameter as the crepe. In a single, deliberate movement, flip the entire compressed stack upside-down so the batter crepe now faces upward and the pork belly rests directly on the noodle bed. Press again to bond the noodle layer to the construction. The stack should hold its form; if it does not, continue pressing until cohesion is achieved.
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7
Reduce the heat. Crack one egg per portion onto the teppan beside the construction and spread it immediately into a circle matching the diameter of the stack. Before the egg sets, slide and place the entire layered construction onto the egg. Press gently. The egg will adhere to the base of the construction as it cooks, forming the golden exterior layer. Cook until the egg is set and no longer translucent at the edges.
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8
Apply Otafuku sauce in generous layers across the finished top surface. Scatter aonori and katsuobushi. Add Japanese mayonnaise if using. The cross-section when cut should reveal, from base to top: golden egg exterior, distinct noodle layer, compressed vegetable and pork layer, and batter cap — each stratum visible and separate.