Japanese Pancakes!

Some of you may have recalled my talking about okonomiyaki from the Japanese Street Food post (because that was the most memorable part of that post). They refer to it as the "Japanese pancake" though my version has no resemblance to a pancake besides that they are both round.

Usually, okonomiyaki are served with a variety of toppings, such as bonito flakes, pickled ginger, seafood, etc., but my favorite is the barbecue sauce! The way I feel about barbecue sauce is the same way I feel about cheese. It can make anything taste better. Whenever I am in doubt about a recipe, I'll add cheese. If I think a recipe is too dry, barbecue sauce, here I come!

For this recipe, I didn't use any of the more "conventional" toppings, but I did have my barbecue sauce. If you're looking for a more authentic replication at home, you can purchase a variety of specialty food items at your local asian food market. But who has time for that crap?! Here's my americanized version of okonomiyaki.

American Japanese Pancake

Ingredients

2 cups cabbage, finely shredded
1 medium onion, sliced thin
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
a couple pinches of fine grain sea salt and pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1+ tablespoon olive oil
Garnish: barbecue sauce!

Method

1.      Combine the cabbage, onions, flour, and salt in a bowl. Toss until everything is coated with a dusting of flour.

2.      Stir in the eggs and mix until everything is evenly coated.

3.      Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a generous splash of olive oil. Scoop the cabbage mixture into the pan, and using a spatula press it into a round pancake shape, flat as you can get it.

4.      Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden.

5.      To flip the okonomiyaki, place a plate on top of the skillet and flip over. If you need a bit more oil in your skillet, add it now, before sliding the okonomiyaki back into the skillet.

6.      Cook until golden on this side - another 3 -5 minutes.

7.      Sather in barbecue sauce….or other accoutrements!