What Goes In Past That Point,
Towards the end of my time in Tokyo, my English students came together to introduce me to a dish I still miss to this day. In my time there Id come to recognize many iconic Japanese restaurantsthe huge, round tables for Hibachi cooking, the long sushi bars staffed with busy men shouting Irashaemase! There were griddles, yes, but they were on long, low tables, and only one chef stood behind the bar (which had its own griddle).
Where the heck was I, One of my students asked. I let them choose for me and watched, entranced, as the waiter brought a dark bowl of batter. Shrimp, shredded bacon, and strips of cabbage were mixed in; the whole mess was poured on the griddle and the smell set off the must eat signal in my brain.
Sipping plum wine, we shaped and flipped the cooking mess with little spatulas, then cut and served it. Love at first bite. Oishii, I said, mouth full of goodness. Often erroneously described as Japanese pizza, okonomiyaki are batter-based griddlecakes, more akin to a pancake than a pizza pie. They use a flour-base batter, often with grated yam, and always with strips of cabbage. What goes in past that point, Its entirely up to you. Okonomi means favorites or as you like, after all.
You can cook virtually any kind of okonomiyaki, but that night I ate a deluxeshrimp, pork, and vegetables. The servings were ridiculous; the okonomiyaki, dense with ingredients and flavors, is a meal in itself, a rarity in a country where everything is a side dish to the almighty bowl of rice.
I left full, happy, and with enough leftovers for two meals the next day! In addition to the ingredients in the batter, okonomiyaki is served covered in dried fish flakes, strips of seaweed, and smothered in the sauce (helpfully called okonomiyaki sauce), which is akin to Worcestershire sauce, only sweeter and thicker.
Other popular toppings include Japanese mayo, fruit and vegetable sauce, or chili powder, but youre free to put just about anything on your serving. Careful with that experimentation, though, because this is often a social dish, meant to be eaten with a large group of people. You may be able to find sushi in any city from sea to shining sea these days, but the humbler okonomiyaki has never really caught on here in the States.
Maybe its the appearancethe big, messy griddlecakes taste delicious, but look like a culinary car wreckor maybe its just too Japanese, but whatever the reason, few Americans have even heard the term. Fortunately, theres no need to wait for the okonomiyaki trend to hit your townthe dish isnt hard to make, provided youre near an Asian market.
All you need for the batter is some cabbage, flour, eggs, and water; the rest is up to you. This recipe is a good starting point. It even recommends a lot of possible ingredients! So next time youre considering sushi or hibachi or some other American-Japanese staple for the umpteenth time, consider bucking routine and watching okonomiyaki sizzle on your griddle instead. It may seem a little unusual at first, but hey, wasn't sushi,
It was really lovely and the cake looked delicious. Thanks for your show and blog. These pancakes look great. Will have to try them. I have a question for you. Saw the episode of the PW this past weekend. It was the one about Edna Mae. Where did you get that cake plate and cover, Can I purchase one or is it a one of a kind, It was really lovely and the cake looked delicious.
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