Okonomiyaki
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Origin
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake. It is believed to date back almost 400 years during Japan’s Edo Period (1683 – 1868). The dish began as a simple tea cake dessert consumed at a Buddhist ceremony called Funoyaki. Later, vegetables replaced sweet bean paste as the main ingredient, transitioning okonomiyaki from a dessert to a main course dish. The name started in the late 1930s in Osaka and translates to ‘grill to one’s liking’ as it reflects the dish’s variability.
Okonomiyaki became popular among the masses after World War II due to food shortages and starvation. The Japanese had to be creative in using any readily available ingredient for cooking. They found this dish cost-effective, filling, and easy to make as a wide range of ingredients from cabbage to pork belly can be thrown into it.
Today, the choice of ingredients and cooking style varies by region. Two of the most popular modern versions are the Osaka-style and the Hiroshima-style. The first is a simple batter mixed with cabbage and pork, while the latter adds layers of yakisoba noodles and bean sprouts within the pancake.
Currently, there are more than 300,000 Okonomiyaki restaurants in Japan.
Description
The foundation is a batter made from wheat flour dissolved in water. Vegetables, meat, and eggs are mixed into the batter and then baked on an iron plate. Okonomi sauce is first coated on the batter, then topped with dried, shredded seaweed, bonito flakes, and mayonnaise.
Ingredients
Okonomiyaki flour, chicken stock, eggs, cabbage, green onions, Tenkasu (Tempura bits), Bacon, Japanese mayonnaise, anori (seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), okonomi sauce
