by Midge
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1/2 cup
mayonnaise
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2 tablespoons
soy sauce
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2 teaspoons
sriracha, more or less to taste
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5
large eggs
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1 teaspoon
soy sauce
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1 teaspoon
sesame oil
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1 teaspoon
sea salt
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1/3 cup
AP flour
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2 cups
cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
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1 bunch
scallions, trimmed and chopped
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3/4 cups
(roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
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canola oil for frying
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1-2 tablespoon
toasted sesame seeds
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bonito flakes (optional)
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Whisk the first set of ingredients together and voila, your sauce. Set aside while you make the pancakes.
Ask the hotline about this step!In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage, scallions, and shrimp.
Ask the hotline about this step!Warm a couple glugs of canola oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until glistening. Ladle the batter into the skillet as you would for regular old pancakes. I usually make them about the size of saucer. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Keep pancakes covered in a warm oven as you make the rest. Scatter sesame seeds and/or bonito flakes on top of pancakes and serve with dipping sauce and a cold pilsner.
Ask the hotline about this step!I sent this recipe to my brother in London. He made it with pork instead of shrimp and he and his friends all raved about it!
Great recipe! I made these for dinner (served with dry cider)....and then had them for brunch the next day - adding the shrimp in separately to the leftover batter. I found mine a bit doughy...will likely take down the flour a bit next time (or measure more closely!) YUM. Can't wait to try the pork and bacon suggestions above.
I've made these twice now. The finer the cabbage is shredded, the better. I also chopped the shrimp in the food processor the 2nd time which made them less chunky and apt to fall apart. Since I use very little oil for cooking (empty calories), I just used cooking spray and cooked them longer at a lower temp. I added diced red pepper the 2nd time (had one that needed to be used) and I'll try adding other small diced vegetables in the future. I probably made a tripple batch the 2nd time and cooked all the cakes (made about 12 of them). They were great reheated the next day in the oven. This is a wonderful "foundation" recipe that would work with many ingredients - THANKS!
Thank you for the great tips. I agree that just about anything works in these.
I feel like the batter felt way too thin, so I added about a tablespoon more of flour. I thought maybe the recipe was a little too eggy, so I'm going to make it again adjusting the egg/flour ratio.
Maybe the egg/flour ratio depends how big your eggs are? Would love to hear how it goes next time.
Getting ready to make this for dinner........so looking forward to them. Some adjustments will be required - no cabbage, so I'll use grated carrots; I have a shrimp/pork mixture which I'll use instead of just shrimps and I'll definitely add some coriander and mint leaves, Thank you...in advance!
Getting ready to make this for dinner........so looking forward to them. Some adjustments will be required - no cabbage, so I'll use grated carrots; I have a shrimp/pork mixture which I'll use instead of just shrimps and I'll definitely add some coriander and mint leaves, Thank you...in advance!
Adding pork sounds like a great move. I'm thrilled you're trying them KB!
My mother is Japanese and I grew up eating these! Brings up fond memories. She would also put in grated carrots and other fresh veggies like bell pepper and celery. Really good. We used a soy sauce, ginger, scallion dipping sauce. YUM to you for posting!!!
My mother is Japanese and I grew up eating these! Brings up fond memories. She would also put in grated carrots and other fresh veggies like bell pepper and celery. Really good. We used a soy sauce, ginger, scallion dipping sauce. YUM to you for posting!!!
Thanks so much. Your dipping sauce sounds delish, and healthier!
I love this recipe and the dipping sauce was fantastic! It tastes just like the spicy sauce served on sushi. Thanks!
Made for lunch today--turned out awesome!
I found the batter to be a lot thinner and have less volume than I was used to, but when the eggs cooked, it really came together!
I also added a touch that my Mother used to add when I was a kid : bacon. I just added a few pieces of cooked bacon to the okonomiyaki right after it was ladled onto the pan (onto the 'wet side'). It's a nice, salty, touch. Highly recommend.
Thanks - is an awesome recipe!!
I made them 5 hours in advance with success.
These were recommended by fellow food 52ers for my asian dinner party so its on the menu! I saw the comment regarding the cabbage making the mix watery (gonna use napa).
my question is how long before I cook them can I put the batter together if I add the cabbage last minute? I would like to prep as much as possible. thnx
Sorry I'm just seeing this now. I've never made the batter ahead of time but I don't see why you couldn't let it sit in the fridge for a few hours? Would love to know how they turned out if you ended up doing that.
I'd like to try these, but don't know what AP flour is. Could someone please enlighten me. Someone asked this in the questions section, but there was no reply.
All purpose flour
I'm teaching this in a holiday hors d'oeuvres class tomorrow night. Can't wait to (a) teach them, and most of all (b) eat them!
Made these recently for a party and they were a huge hit. One tip though...don't make the batter too far in advance as the cabbage will leach a lot of water, making the batter too liquid. I did this the first time I made these and though they still tasted good, I found they absorbed a lot more oil because of the amount of liquid in the batter. The second time I made them I fried them right after making the batter and they were perfect. Reminds me of a latke, but a whole lot easier to make. And oh so delicious!
These were amazing! Even my Japanese coworker who is very persnickety about food raved!
So, I'm alone tonight (husband is at band practice) and I finished up some hot pepper jam. This is what I made for my alone meal - I crave it. V good recipe!
I lived in Japan for a year--in Kyoto--and I *love* okonomiyaki. I've played with the idea of making it for myself a few times, but I generally save it as a going out treat (I think I have a fear of messing it up). Your recipe, however, may change things for me.
Midge, these are out-of-this-world good. I made them tonight and my only regret is that I did not try them sooner. Even my picky three year old gobbled them up. I used brown rice flour to accommodate my gf husband and the pancakes were perfect. I also threw in some cilantro and shiso. Now that I'm looking at your photo, I realize I forgot the sesame seeds - oh well, I guess I'll have to make them again soon!! Thank you for a fabulous recipe!
Thanks gingerroot! I'm so thrilled you tried them. Last time I made them with leftover chicken and grated ginger, really yum.
So light and fluffy!!!! But definitely not on my diet. That was a wonderful splurge. We used a sweet chili sauce that we got from an Asian grocery store in addition to the sauce listed.
So I was the first person to comment on this recipe about a month ago and thought to myself "These look great!" Since that time has elapsed, I have received email after email detailing everyone else's comments about how amazing the recipe was. I started to think, "really?" After making this tonight I just thought "REALLY! These are amazing!" Incredibly easy and delicious, Midge. Thanks for a recipe that will be a staple for my family :)
Thanks so much meganvto1. That's great to hear. I plan on trying your corn saute next time I come home to MD.
We dream about these morsels of marvellousness. Seriously! My family would eat these every day if I made them. We have had it with shrimp and with chicken and with 3 kinds of cabbage. I was planning on having them for dinner tonight but my son and I just couldn't wait so we are having them for lunch AND dinner. The only change I made was to use sambal (Indonesian hot sauce) instead of the sriracha because that is what I had in the house. Fantastic recipe. It has earned a spot in the "Family Treasures" Recipe Box. Well done!
Midge - We made these again tonight. When I picked the kids up from camp they asked 'What's for dinner?' I said 'Those Japanese pancakes.' 'You mean the ones with the shrimp??!! OH YEAH!' Then our son added 'Can you make 3 just for me?' This time I used regular cabbage, last time I used napa. I prefer the napa, it seemed to nestle in better. Thanks again, clearly a home run.
It's great to hear your kids like them so much! I've noticed a difference in stir-frying different cabbages and I can see why Napa would work better in the pancakes. Thanks for the tip!
Made these tonight - simply wonderful! Thank you for sharing! This is going to be in regular rotation in my kitchen, for sure.
Oh yeah. This was great. Thanks.
This was incredible! I used squid instead of shrimp and it came out great. The only thing I have hope for was more crispiness. This was more like a soft pancake and I'm not sure if that's what was intended.
Thanks hmg! I think the crispiness depends on how much oil (and heat) you use.
Also on the thickness of the pancakes. I've never had crisp okonomiyaki before since they're usually pretty thick because of all the fillings.
hmg-- I made these again last night using 1/2 peanut oil and 1/2 canola and they came out crispier and lighter. Next time I'll try all peanut oil. Also added a bit of grated ginger to the batter=yum.
I've had these pancakes with squid instead of shrimp. Can't wait to make them this weekend with shrimp. Thanks for the recipe!
These are becoming seriously habit-forming. They've been Sunday dinner two weeks in a row. I see nothing wrong with going for 3.
I don't know what happened to my earlier reply but I'll just say again how happy it makes me that you like them!
I made these tonight and loved them, especially the sauce. I'll be making these again for sure!
For the authentic sauce (the worcestershire-type mentioned above) you can go to any Asian market and get "Bull Dog" sauce -- which is usually mixed in basically equal parts with (Japanese) mayo and spread on top after its cooked - with the (optional) bonita flakes sprinkled on top of that. Can't wait to make these!
Will pick some up next time I go to the Asian market. Thanks for the tip!
After the week I've had, I deserve a treat and this is going to be it. Dinner tonight. Seriously can't wait. I have a feeling sriracha mayo is going to be the new condiment staple.
Made these today. Super easy and so tasty! They remind me a lot of Italian fritelle which we make with a variety of veggies and sometimes squash blossoms. Well done, Midge!
I'm so glad mrslarkin! Thanks so much for trying them. There must be a gap in my Italian-American upbringing because I've never heard of fritelle??
Like a teeny tiny frittata. My mom uses all sorts of veggies like cooked cauliflower, peas and artichokes, garlic and onions, pretty much anything. Spelled "frittelle" (i always mess up my double letters!)
Midge - love this version, and so glad to see okonomiyaki make it as the street food winner! This dish reminds me of my grandmother and yearly trips to visit her in Tokyo. My mother also used to always make it at home for us as kids, we just loved it (my favourite filling was octopus!). To this day the smell of sauteed cabbage reminds me of this!
Thank you Emiko! So glad it triggered nice memories. I'm intrigued by the octopus filling...
So easy! So tasty! Remarkable that something so unusual could be thrown together in very short order using only pantry staples. Paired with a salad of cucumbers from the garden or a bit of home made kimchi, it's a simple, speedy dinner.
do you think I could use bok choi instead of regular cabbage? or would that ruin the texture?
I think it would be different, but worth a try! Let me know how it goes as I have a ton of bok choi myself!
I have "saved" this recipe and definitely want to make it. I have never had it, but a friend of mine told me about it a few years ago; it sounded delicious, and I have been intrigued since then.
YAAAAAAYYYYY!!
Way to go, Midge....you rock girl! Can't wait to try these, they sound amazing. - S
Congrats, Midge! Thanks for figuring out how to recreate this wonderful recipe so elegantly! Looking forward to making these!!!
Congratulations lady!!!
Woo-hoo! Congratulations, Midge!! Looking forward to making these.
P.S. just noticed your tag. I coulda used these on Sunday morning....
This is at every festival we go to in Japan. Even better than the actual product, though, might be the beautiful production. I've never seen anything to well organized. Rows of all of the ingredients are added one at at time, and each okonomiyaki turned over in order. It's precise and spectacular to watch. I honestly like them better without the piles of bonito flakes, brown sauce and the Japanese mayo that is a little different than what we're used to in the States.
I don't like shrimp that much, so can I just go without it? Will it affect the batter?
Absolutely. You could get creative with anything you have on hand, like peas or chopped ham, or just skip it altogether.
Loved these! So easy to prepare and definitely a keeper, especially on those nights when I stare into the dark corners of the fridge wondering what to make. Thanks for sharing!!
OK, these were a hit, Jim, the kids, me, we all had seconds. Jim has requested they go in to regular, heavy rotation. I'm unclear if making the batter ahead impacted them. When I make them again I'll let you know. As our son was chopping the scallions it seemed like a lot, he kept asking if he should stop but it was, of course, the right amount. Mine did not look as pretty as yours but then I did try to do 2-3 in a pan at once. I also bought small shrimp and did not chop them, I will in the future, they made my pancakes a little lumpy and slightly uneven for cooking. Oh and the sauce - awesome. Also, very easy to prepare. Thanks again Midge.
I'm so excited that you tried them! When I first starting making this, I used frozen baby shrimp that were available in big tubs in the supermarket where I lived in Wash state. I haven't seen them since I moved east so I just used any wild shrimp I can find -- about 1/3 lb of medium-sized shrimp seems to do it -- and roughly chop them. Thanks for reporting back!
These are definitely on the "to make" list - congrats, Midge!
Thanks for helping me plan my weekend menu! Congratulations!
I'm excited to try this recipe! And yum, sriracha mayo. My son is going to Kyoto and Kanazawa next week on a middle school trip so I'll make these for him before he leaves. Congratulations on being a finalist!
Really fun on a table top griddle with everyone mixing and flipping their own. Last time I had this was just outside of Nikko...but I'll be having it again soon. Thanks for the reminder.
How fun. The place I went to wasn't DIY, but still great. I hope these measure up!
Oh my...I'd not heard of okonomiyaki until now, how sad for me, they look fabulous. Midge, you have saved me from being hopelessly out of touch with this winner of a recipe. I'll be making these soon for sure. Congratulations! - S
so excited to try these! congrats on being a finalist!
I was in Kyoto this fall and had such a great meal in a similar place - this is on my list now -thanks so much!
Congrats, Midge. You have given a great new perspective on this recipe, it will be hard to be happy with plain old scallion pancakes ever again. These sound much more interesting.
I've never seen anything like this! They look delicious and very comforting.
Congratulations, midge! This looks and sounds fabulous.
Oh wow, I just walked in the door from a trip to find this wonderful surprise. Thanks so much everyone for your lovely comments!
I spent a lot of time in Tokoyo at okonomiyaki shops where you sit on the floor and each table has its own griddle and you make your own okonomiyaki. The recipe I was given is very complex and I don't make it a lot. This recipe is divine. Thank you for sharing it.
Congrats, Midge!! These look seriously good.
Congrats on being a finalist! I have never heard of these before but they sound seriously yummy ... I will give them a try!!!!
thanks aargersi!! Hope you try them; it's fun to play with different ingredients too.
Okonomiyaki is one of my absolute hands down all time favorite foods. Looks seriously amazing :)
Oh my, Midge, these look amazing!
I almost missed this - looks like a winner...
BTW, don't see the hangover in the list of ingredients.
Sriracha mayo? Oh, yes! These look fantastic. Good weekend dinner outside with a book. I think it's a plan. Congratulations!
It has been a seriously long week, and lately I seem to need a carrot to get me through until I can finally sigh into a seat and stay there. This is this week's carrot. Thank you so much.
congrats, midge! it's pretty dang cool to be going up against you!
and i just realized we're both using sriracha mayo! this week's secret ingredient, i guess.
Thanks so much and likewise vvvanessa! I think sriracha mayo is like the bacon of condiments.
Seriously.
These look fabulous! How did I miss these? Many congrats for being a finalist!!
Congratulations! These look awesome!
Many congrats Midge! These look absolutely delicious. I'm saving this recipe to my file right now!
Way to go Midge! These sound spectacular! I've been meaning to try making okonomiyaki for ages and have never actually gotten to it. But, this is definitely reinspiring me to try. Also, hope your Portland trip was fun!!
thank you fiveandspice! Portland was a blast. After seeing the food cart scene out there, I'm more convinced than ever that Boston needs your buns!
Japanese food is TOP on my list of faves.....I've seen a few Okono recipes....never tried any. Love the different ingredients.
I'm so intrigued by these...I've never had anything like them, and they sound really good. Love that they combine cabbage and shrimp, two things I really like together.
Thanks ChefDex! You can really go nuts with variations here, but cabbage and shrimp are great.
This really looks delicious. Do you use the sauce as a dip or to be spread on the pancakes?
Thanks so much meganvt01. Good question -I use the sauce more as a dip for the pancakes.
..but traditionally a couple different sauces--Worcestershire-type sauce and mayo-- are spread on top. I just combined the two flavors.
These look fantastic. Any special type of cabbage? Napa? Plain old green? thanks
Does it matter what kind of mayo is used? Regular, Reduced Fat, Mayo with Olive oil? Thank you!
I have a question about the recipe "Okonomiyaki" , what is AP flour?
Should the shrimp be cooked or uncooked when added to the batter?
I have a question about the recipe "Okonomiyaki" from Midge.
photo 1 of 16
Forget what you know about pancakes: Egg, bonito flakes, soy sauce, all-purpose flour, cabbage, scallions, shrimp, sriracha, sesame seeds, Hellmann's mayo!
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We went with rock shrimp -- but use any fresh or frozen shrimp that suits your fancy.
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A mess of scallions (1 whole bunch! -- ours added up to about 2 cups) makes this savory pancake batter super flavorful.
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Mayo + sriracha + soy, we dub thee Awesome Sauce.
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5 eggs!
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Hmmm, this sesame oil smells suspect.
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You smell it.
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Eh. Let's go with it.
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A very modest 1/3 cup of flour takes this batter from omelette to pancake -- just barely.
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Midge seasons this batter perfectly, with just the right amount of soy, sesame oil and salt (a teaspoon of each).
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A heaping cup of cabbage or, rather, an erupting one.
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It might look like there's crazy amounts of vegetables for the slight batter, but it works out perfectly. Trust us. (Check out how the egg puffs up in the pan!)
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A big cast iron skillet (or any nonstick one) will serve you well here.
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A quick rest on a paper towel-lined plate blots off any oily sheen (and keeps impatient tasters from burning their tongues.)
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Featherlight bundles of umami.
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Ready to hit the streets.
This is a really creative version of okonomiyaki! I like the idea of a spicy sauce. If you're interested in in-depth information on traditional okonomiyaki, history and ingredients, check out http://okonomiyakiworld.com. Have fun!