Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancake)
Okonomiyaki, meaning "whatever you like, grilled," is a famous Japanese savory pancake. This recipe creates a fluffy, satisfying pancake loaded with crisp cabbage and tender shrimp, pan-fried to golden perfection and finished with a rich, tangy sauce and creamy mayo.
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 2 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Lea & Perrins or similar)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ½ tsp white rice wine
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp sesame oil
- 3.5 oz shrimp (small to medium, frozen is ok)
- ⅔ cup shrimp broth (or dashi. Reserve when boiling)
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 ½ cups white cabbage ((finely chopped) — sprinkle with a pinch of salt to soften)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp chopped scallions
- 1 tsp grated carrots (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp mayo (Kewpie Mayo recommended)
Instructions
- 1
Mix all sauce ingredients (ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, honey, white rice wine, soy sauce, sesame oil) in a saucepan over low heat until the desired texture is reached. Set aside.
- 2
Boil the shrimp in hot water for 3-5 minutes. Remove from water, chop into pieces, and set aside.
- 3
In a separate bowl, add the plain flour to ⅔ cup (150 ml) of the hot shrimp water and mix until thickened.
- 4
Add the chopped cabbage, egg, and soy sauce to the batter and stir to combine.
- 5
Add half of the chopped shrimp to the mixture and mix again. (only half of the shrimp to give the batter the flavour)
- 6
In a pan with olive oil, briefly sauté the other half of the chopped shrimp.
- 7
Pour the okonomiyaki mixture over the sautéed shrimp.
- 8
Shape the mixture into a thick, round pancake.
- 9
Cover and cook on medium heat for 4 minutes.
- 10
Flip the pancake with the help of a plate, cover again, and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.