Name: Yoko Dining’s okonomiyaki
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 50 ml grapeseed oil, plus extra if needed; Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger, aonori (green nori flakes), katsuobushi and shichimi togarashi (see note), to serve; Teriyaki sauce; 130 ml mirin; 2 tbsp cooking sake; 135 ml soy sauce; 50 gm caster sugar; 20 gm ginger (about 4cm), cut into 5mm slices; Batter; 75 gm tempura flour; 110 ml water; Cabbage filling; 1 tbsp grapeseed oil; 140 gm white cabbage, cut into 1cm pieces; 1 clove garlic, finely chopped; ¼ tsp shichimi togarashi; 2 small spring onions, green part cut into 3cm pieces, white part halved, then cut into 3cm pieces

Yoko Dining’s okonomiyaki

A recipe for the umami-rich Japanese pancake from Brisbane's contemporary izakaya.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

15M

Cook

10M

Total

25M

“Okonomiyaki is typically found in Osaka, but every city has its own style,” says Jonathan Barthelmess. “You can really use whatever you like for the filling, so it can be a good dish for cleaning up all the leftovers in your fridge.” At Yoko Dining, head chef Kitak Lee adds kimchi to the okonomiyaki for a Korean twist on the more classic version.

Ingredients

50 ml grapeseed oil, plus extra if needed

Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger, aonori (green nori flakes), katsuobushi and shichimi togarashi (see note), to serve

Teriyaki sauce

130 ml mirin

2 tbsp cooking sake

135 ml soy sauce

50 gm caster sugar

20 gm ginger (about 4cm), cut into 5mm slices

Batter

75 gm tempura flour

110 ml water

Cabbage filling

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

140 gm white cabbage, cut into 1cm pieces

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

¼ tsp shichimi togarashi

2 small spring onions, green part cut into 3cm pieces, white part halved, then cut into 3cm pieces

Method

1.For teriyaki sauce, bring mirin and sake to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat, light the liquid with a barbecue lighter (be very careful of the flames) and return to heat. When it has stopped flaming (1 minute), add remaining ingredients. Reduce by half over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until a glaze (12-15 minutes).

2.For batter, mix ingredients in a large bowl and set aside to rest in the fridge (30 minutes).

3.For cabbage filing, heat a frying pan over medium heat, add oil then fry half of the cabbage with garlic and togarashi, stirring occasionally, until just wilted (2-3 minutes). Set aside to cool.

4.Add cooled cabbage, spring onion and remaining cabbage to batter mix and stir through.

5.Heat a 20cm cast-iron or heavy-based frying pan over high heat and add oil when pan is hot. Add batter mixture, then reduce heat to medium, and cook until light golden and set on the base (3 minutes), then flip over, cook until light golden and cooked through (3 minutes). Increase heat to high and cook each side for a further 1 minute, adding extra oil if needed, until crisp.

6.To serve, transfer pancake to a cutting board, cut into wedges, place on plate and brush with teriyaki sauce. Drizzle with mayonnaise, garnish with ginger, aonori and katsuobushi and season with togarashi.

Aonori, katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and shichimi togarashi are available from Japanese food stores. Beer suggestion Echigo Koshihikari Rice Lager from Japan. Drink suggestion by Nick Ingall
Notes