For the batter
- In a large bowl, give the dry mixture a short mix.
- Peel and grate the nagaimo in a small bowl Note: We have never had any issues but the nagaimo may irritate your skin and cause itchiness. If this happens, work quickly and rinse your hands after touching the nagaimo. Nagaimo is very slimy and slippery, so make sure you have a good grip on the nagaimo if you wear kitchen gloves.
- Add the grated the nagaimo and dashi to the bowl.
- Mix it all together until combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap/ towel and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. Tip: While you can fry the batter without resting it, resting the batter relaxes the gluten in the batter and makes the okonomiyaki fluffier.
- After the batter has rested, add eggs, tempura scraps (you can place a bit of these aside for garnishing) and pickled red ginger to the bowl. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Add the minced cabbage to the batter and mix until just combined. Note: Add the cabbage to the batter when you are ready to cook it. Letting the cabbage sit in the batter for long releases the water in the cabbage and will make your batter thinner.
- In a large pan, heat the vegetable oil on medium heat. When the frying pan is hot, spread the batter in a circle on the pan. We like thicker okonomiyaki (about 2 cm thick) but if you’re new to making okonomiyaki, you can make it smaller and thinner so it’s easier to flip. This recipe makes 1 thick pancake or 2 smaller ones
- Place 2-3 slices of pork belly on top of the okonomiyaki and cook for about 5 minutes.
- When the bottom side is nicely browned, flip it over and cook covered for another 5 minutes.
- Flip it over one last time and cook uncovered for 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and if you’re making 2, cook the rest of the batter in the same way.
To Serve:
Spread the okonomiyaki sauce on top with a brush or spoon, drizzle with Kewpie in a zigzag
pattern (optional), and top with scallions and kelp/tenkasu. You may watch the video on our social media pages for this step.
