Okonomiyaki Pizza
A creative fusion dish that reimagines the savory, umami-rich flavors of Japanese okonomiyaki into a shareable, pizza-like format. A thick, crispy-edged cabbage pancake base is generously topped with classic ingredients like thinly sliced pork belly and shrimp, then finished with sweet-savory okonomiyaki sauce, creamy Japanese mayonnaise, dancing katsuobushi, and fragrant aonori.
Ingredients
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •1 cup dashi stock, cold (or 1 cup water + 1 tsp dashi powder)
- •2 large eggs
- •0.25 cup nagaimo (Japanese mountain yam), peeled and finely grated
- •0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- •0.25 teaspoon salt
- •4 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- •0.5 cup green onions, thinly sliced
- •0.5 cup tenkasu (tempura scraps)
- •2 tablespoon beni shoga (red pickled ginger), chopped
- •6 oz pork belly, thinly sliced (about 1/16-inch thick)
- •4 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails removed
- •2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- • to taste okonomiyaki sauce
- • to taste Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie recommended)
- • to taste katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
- • to taste aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)
Instructions
- 1.
If using dashi powder, prepare the dashi stock by dissolving 1 teaspoon of dashi powder in 1 cup of hot water, then let it cool completely. Ensure it's cold before mixing.
- 2.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cold dashi stock, eggs, grated nagaimo (if using), baking powder, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix; a few lumps are fine.
- 3.
Gently fold in the shredded green cabbage, sliced green onions, tenkasu, and chopped beni shoga into the batter. The mixture will be very thick and mostly cabbage.
- 4.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large (10-12 inch) non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat. For a 'pizza' size, you will likely make two batches. For individual servings, use a smaller pan.
- 5.
Pour half of the okonomiyaki mixture into the heated pan, spreading it evenly to form a thick, round pancake about 8-10 inches in diameter. Arrange half of the thinly sliced pork belly and half of the shrimp evenly over the top of the wet batter.
- 6.
Cover the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, and the edges appear set. The pork belly will start to cook.
- 7.
Carefully flip the okonomiyaki 'pizza' using a large spatula. If the toppings shift, gently rearrange them. Cover again and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until the pork belly is cooked through, the shrimp are pink, and the pancake is cooked through to the center.
- 8.
Transfer the cooked Okonomiyaki Pizza to a cutting board. Repeat steps 4-7 with the remaining oil, batter, pork belly, and shrimp to make the second 'pizza'.
- 9.
Drizzle generously with okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise in a zigzag pattern. Sprinkle with katsuobushi and aonori. The katsuobushi will 'dance' from the residual heat.
- 10.
Cut into wedges like a pizza and serve immediately while hot. Enjoy!
Tips
- 💡Do not overmix the batter; a few lumps are perfectly fine and help prevent a tough texture.
- 💡Ensure your dashi stock is cold when mixing the batter. This helps create a lighter, fluffier pancake.
- 💡For an extra fluffy texture, gently fold the cabbage and other ingredients into the batter, rather than vigorously stirring.
- 💡Use a good quality non-stick pan and a large, sturdy spatula for easy flipping.
- 💡Adjust the amount of okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise to your personal preference. Don't be shy!
- 💡If you don't have nagaimo, you can omit it, but it contributes to the traditional fluffy texture. You can substitute with a tablespoon of grated potato for a slight thickening effect, though the texture will be different.
Recipe from TheCookbook.ai
Created by Basil Roux