Japanese pancake called “Okonomiyaki” is a typical home food, especially in west part of Japan.  Current style of okonomiyaki is since after world war 2.  So it doesn’t have long history, but the origin seems to be before the war.

“Okonomiyaki” contains two words “Okonomi” and “Yaki.”  “Okonomi” means favorite or as you like, and “Yaki” means bake.  So its ingredients are very free, up to you!
However basic ingredients are wheat, egg and cabbage, you can add anything what you want.  Traditional ingredients are pork, sea foods such as squid, shrimp or octopus.  Some are adding cheese, rice cake (omochi) or kimchi etc.

Ingredients (3 pieces) :

• 100g cabbage
• 20g green onion
• 50g yam (Optional)
• 120g flour
• 2 eggs
• 150ml broth (bonito) or water
• 25g shrimp
• 40g squid
• 60g pork (slice)
• Sea salt
• Pepper

How to cook (for pork topping):

1) Chop cabbage and green onion.  Cut shrimp and squid about 5mm or so.

2) Put flour, eggs, broth and grater yam in a bowl and combine them well.

3) Put 1/3 of 2), cabbage and green onion in a small bowl.  Combine them well.  Mix everything to contain air.

4) Pour cooking oil in a fry pan and heat.  Then put 3) in a fry pan and bake on a strong heat for 2 or 3 min.

5) Place sliced pork on the pan cake and put some sea salt and pepper.

6) Turn over the cake and heat it about 3 or 4 min.

When it is well b baked, place it on a dish.  Put sauce, dried bonito flake and green laver (Aonori) on top of the cake.

As for sea food okonomiyaki, combine sea foods at 3).  Then bake it on a fry pan.

About the sauce, I combined tonkatsu sauce and tomato ketchup as half and half.  We can buy okonomiyaki sauce in the market.  But I think sauce is also “okonomi” as you want.  Some people put mayonnaise in addition to sauce.

I was cooked it with yam and broth at this time.  It is popular way now, but not required.  If you use yam, the cake becomes fluffy.  And with broth, it has more “umami.”

I think okonomiyaki should be cooked as you like.
I am looking forward to seeing your original one.  If you have it, please leave a comment or post to the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/FoodinJapan

Enjoy meal!