You probably already know that Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka are 3 of the top travel destinations in Japan. Tokyo is known for being a modern technological city. Kyoto is known for the cultural and traditional side of Japanese culture. But do you know what Osaka is known for?
The food!
Foodies from around Japan, and around the world, talk about the good food that can be found in Osaka. When you visit Osaka, there are a few foods that you must eat. On the top of that list is Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki.
Takoyaki are the little round balls with small pieces of octopus in them. You might be surprised to know that most homes in the Kansai region around Osaka have the little grilling pans for making takoyaki at home.
What is Okonomiyaki?
Some might call it a “cabbage pancake.” While cabbage is a key ingredient, there is much more inside besides cabbage. The sauce on top is more savory than sweet and it’s common to add mayonnaise on top of the sauce. The main resemblance to a “pancake” is how it is cooked on a griddle.
The name of this Japanese food literally means, “grilled as you like,” or “grilled to your preference.” Essentially, this means that you can put whatever ingredients in it that you like.
You can make Okonomiyaki at home
The okonomiyaki that you’ll eat in Osaka is incredibly delicious. Yet, that shouldn’t stop you from trying it at home. Making Okonomiyaki at home is very common and I ate it at home multiple times this summer while in Japan. We even make it fairly often at our home in Oregon, so you can do it as well.
A recipe for you to try
You will need to pick up some of the ingredients at your local Asian food grocery, but many of the ingredients can also be found at any grocery store. One of these ingredients is an absolute must and what I consider the “secret ingredient.”
Here is what you’ll need for about 4 servings:
Batter Ingredients
- 1 cup of all purpose plain flour
- A pinch of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder
- 6 ounces of yamaimo – about 3 inches of the yam (depending on thickness, peeled and grated, will be like a thick sauce)
- 3/4 cup of Dashi (Japanese soup stock) – the easiest way is to mix a small packet of Dashi powder with water
For the Okonomiyaki:
- 4 Eggs
- 1/2 cup of tenkasu – These are fried tempura crisps that can be purchased in packs at your local Asian grocery.
- 1/4 cup of pickled red ginger (optional, but adds to the flavor)
- 1/2 head of green cabbage (more is fine if you like)
- Your choice of meat – Thin-sliced pork belly is the most common. 2 to 3 thin slices can be put on each okonomiyaki. Shrimp, squid, or octopus are also really good. You can make it like you like it. Go without meat by adding mushrooms if you prefer vegetarian style.
- Okonomiyaki sauce – I recommend buying this at your local Asian grocery.
- Toppings – Add these to your liking. The most common are Okonomiyaki sauce, Aonori flakes (dried seaweed flakes), Katsuobushi flakes (dried Bonito flakes), and Kewpie Mayonnaise. All of these can be found at your local Asian grocery. We also like adding cheese in the final stage of cooking.
Instructions:
- Mix the dry ingredients for the base batter in a large bowl.
- Peel and grate the yamaimo (mountain yam). Add to dry ingredient mix. You might consider wearing rubber gloves because yamaimo is very slimy and can cause your skin to itch.
- Mix in the dashi.
- Set the mix aside while you cut the cabbage and prepare other ingredients.
- Mince cabbage into small pieces.
- Add pickled red ginger to batter and mix in.
- Add eggs and mix in.
- Add minced cabbage to batter and mix in.
- Prepare your skillet (electric or stovetop) by heating to medium heat and adding a thin coating of oil.
- When the skillet is hot, scoop in a portion of your okonomiyaki mix. Use spatulas to shape the okonomiyaki into a circle about 6-8 inches in diameter (smaller is easier to flip). Press down to a thickness less than an inch.
- If you use pork slices, lay 2 or 3 slices on top of the batter in the skillet. If you use shrimp, squid, or octopus, it is often better to lightly stir fry them ahead of time and mix them in the okonomiyaki batter.
- Cover the skillet with a lid to keep the heat in. The okonomiyaki will steam and cook better this way.
- After about 5 minutes or when the bottom is nicely browned, flip the okonomiyaki over. If you have a bigger one, two spatulas work better for flipping.
- Cover the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes or until the bottom is nicely browned.
- Flip over one more time and cook uncovered for about 2-3 more minutes. If you like cheese on your okonomiyaki, this is a good time to add grated cheese for it to melt.
- Transfer the cooked okonomiyaki to individual plates and add toppings to your liking.
What is that secret little ingredient?
You may have already figured it out, but the best tasting Okonomiyaki always include Yamaimo in the mix. It not only adds flavor, but it also helps make Okonomiyaki just the right texture and fluffiness. Don’t let the slimy nature of this root make you squeamish. It is an absolutely necessary ingredient!
Happy cooking!
I would love to know if you try making Okonomiyaki at home. If you do, let me know with a comment and a photo. 😋
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