Japanese · Osaka and Hiroshima
Okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki (okonomi = what you like, yaki = grilled) is a Japanese savoury pancake — a thick, sizzling disc of shredded cabbage and batter, loaded with toppings, finished with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, dried bonito flakes, and aonori. The two main styles — Osaka (Kansai) and Hiroshima — differ fundamentally: Osaka mixes everything into the batter; Hiroshima layers the components separately. Both are correct, both are great.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
200 g
all-purpose flour
Your own market
200 ml
dashi stock
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
2
eggs
Your own market
100 g
green cabbage
finely shredded
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 g
tempura batter vegetables or mushrooms
diced
Your own market
40 ml
neutral oil
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
40 ml
okonomiyaki sauce (Okonomi)
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
20 ml
bonito oil or Japanese mayo
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
1 sheet
toasted nori
finely sliced
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
10 g
bonito flakes
Origin · United StatesNot yet stocked in British Columbia
3 g
sea salt
Your own market
2 g
Tellicherry black pepper
Your own market
II
The Method
1
Whisk flour, dashi, and eggs until just combined (lumpy batter is correct); fold in cabbage and vegetables gently.
2
Heat 20 ml oil in a 25 cm non-stick pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
3
Pour batter into pan; spread to 1.5 cm thickness, cook 5–6 minutes until golden on base, shaking pan occasionally.
4
Flip carefully using two spatulas; cook reverse side 4–5 minutes until golden and cooked through.
5
Slide onto a warm plate; drizzle okonomiyaki sauce and mayo in crossed lines over surface.
6
Sprinkle nori strips and bonito flakes over top; serve immediately with extra sauce and mayo on the side.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where okonomiyaki lives or dies is the flip — use two wide spatulas, approaching from opposite sides, and flip in one definitive motion. The pancake will be 2-3cm thick and fragile. After the flip, press down gently with the spatula to ensure full contact with the pan. The second side should cook for 3-4 minutes until the pancake feels springy when pressed — not liquid in the centre.
Pillars V — VII
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