Japan • Regional Dish • Snack
Okonomiyaki (Japanese Cabbage Pancakes)
Okonomiyaki is one of Japan's great comfort foods. Savoury, messy, satisfying, and a little theatrical once the bonito flakes hit the heat. This home version keeps the Osaka-style structure and classic toppings, but streamlines the process so it stays realistic for a typical kitchen.
Instructions
- Put the cabbage in a large bowl and set it aside.
- In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dashi and eggs and whisk until smooth.
- Stir in the tenkasu and pickled red ginger. Pour the batter over the cabbage, add the spring onions, and fold gently until the cabbage is evenly coated. The mixture should look very cabbage-heavy rather than loose or runny.
- Heat a large nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium heat and add a little of the oil.
- Divide the mixture into 4 round pancakes, each about 2 cm thick. Lay 2 slices of pork belly across the top of each pancake.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden. Flip carefully, cover loosely, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until the pork is cooked and the centre is set.
- Flip once more for 1 minute if needed to crisp the first side again. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter.
- Transfer to plates. Brush with okonomiyaki sauce, drizzle with Japanese mayonnaise, and sprinkle with aonori and bonito flakes. Serve hot.
Cultural Context
Okonomiyaki is one of Osaka’s signature dishes and is often described as a savoury cabbage pancake cooked on a griddle or in a frying pan. The name roughly means “grilled as you like,” which fits the dish well because the base can be adapted with different proteins and add-ins, even though the Osaka-style version has a recognizable core of batter, cabbage, and toppings.
A classic okonomiyaki batter usually includes flour, eggs, dashi, cabbage, and often grated yam and tenkasu, with thin slices of pork belly laid over the top before cooking. It is typically finished with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, aonori, and bonito flakes.
Fun Fact
One of Okonomiyaki’s most recognizable finishing touches is bonito flakes, which appear to “dance” on the hot pancake as steam rises from the surface.
Notes
Osaka-style okonomiyaki is the version in which the batter ingredients are mixed together before cooking, unlike Hiroshima-style, which is layered.
Traditional versions often include grated nagaimo or yamaimo for a lighter texture, but a simplified home-cook version can work well without it by using baking powder and keeping the batter light.
Tenkasu adds richness and a little extra lift, but the pancake still works without it.
Do not overpack the pan or make the pancakes too thick, or the centre can lag behind the outside. Classic okonomiyaki. Crispy edges, suspicious middle.
If you cannot find pork belly, very thin bacon is a practical substitute, though pork belly is closer to the usual Japanese version.
Trivia
In Japanese, okonomi means "as you like," and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked."
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