AFF OCT'13 - Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き)

Minasan! Okonomiyaki - Japanese savory pancake is the recipe for today. I always called it the Japanese pizza. Different region has their own style of okonomiyaki and ingredients. After all the main ingredient is still cabbage.

Recipe adapted from Nami @ Just One Cookbook (with  some modifications). I used half of the recipe only.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2-3 inch Nagaimo/Yamaimo, grated (fresh Huai Shan)
• 3/4 cup Dashi stock (Can substitute with water)
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Tenkasu Agedama/Tempura scraps (can used bread crumbs, but I use rice bubbles, more crunchy bites)
• 1/4 cup pickled red ginger - Kizami Beni Shoga (can be omitted)
• 8 cups cabbage (about a whole large cabbage), finely chopped
• 1/2 carrots, shredded
• 1 cup squid, chopped into small pieces
• Oil for frying

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in a bowl. Grated the Yamaimo/ Huai Shan into the bowl. Pour in the Dashi stock and mix well.
2. Let the batter rest inside the fridge for 30min to 1 hour. While waiting for the flour to set, you can get ready with other ingredients.
3. Chop the cabbage finely. Cut the squid into small pieces.
4. Take out the batter from the fridge. Add in the eggs, Tenkasu, carrot and squid. Mix well.
5. Finally stir in the cabbage. If you find the after mixing in, the batter is still watery. Try to add more cabbage, Tenkasu. carrots or squid as what you like.

Referring to Wikipedia:

Kansai Area: All the ingredients are all mix in the batter and fry in a pan/hotplate. Served with Okonomiyaki toppings and sauce.

Hiroshima Area: The ingredients are rather layered rather than mixed all in. Means they fry it layer by layer. What's so special? Besides basic Okonomiyaki toppings, it also have Yakisoba noodle and a fry eggs as the topping. Even the size of Hiroshima Okonomiyaki is 2 times larger than the normal one. 

Put a generous scoop of the batter on a frying pan. Nami said do not flatten the batter or else it will easily break when we turn it over. Fry for 5-8 minutes a side and covered with a lid. Time depends on the batter thickness. As long as it turn into a nice brownish color then it is all done.

For the toppings:

• Okonomi Sauce (or homemade Okonomi Sauce)
• Mayonnaise
• Bonito Flakes
• Dried green seaweed powder (Aonori)
• Green onions, finely chopped
• Pickled red ginger (Kizami Beni Shoga) for garnish (can be omitted)

Firstly, drizzle the Okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise in a zig zag motion or just apply on top, it is also acceptable. Sprinkle the Bonito Flakes, Aonori and green onions. Serve immediately.

Japanese always have hot plate in their household. So they can always make a few mini Onokomiyaki all at once.

All the ingredients are easy to get and inexpensive - Taste yummy too!

I'm proudly say it is a another success for me (*_^)

So what you think of my Okonomiyaki?

I'm submitting my Okonomiyaki to Asian Food Fest Japan Month, hosted by Alan of Travelling Foodies.