Name: Savory Okonomiyaki
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 100 g cake flour (or all-purpose flour); 75 to 100 ml cooled dashi; 1 tsp milk (optional); 1 tsp mirin (optional); 1 tsp soy sauce (optional); 1/4 tsp curry powder (optional); 150 g shredded green cabbage; 2 tbsp tenkasu (or crushed potato chips, optional); 2 tsp benishoga (pickled red ginger, optional); 1 to 2 tbsp ketchup; 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp honey; Bonito flakes; Dried seaweed flakes

My youngest daughter dropped an entire head of green cabbage onto the kitchen linoleum, and while it stayed mostly in one piece, making okonomiyaki seemed like the only sensible plan for supper. We shredded the whole thing right after homework.

She stood on her step stool by the sink and watched the thin shreds tumble into a wide bowl. It reminded me of standing beside my grandmother on Sunday afternoons, learning how a few pantry staples can pull dinner together when you least expect it.

I reach for this recipe whenever we want something warm and savory on a busy weeknight. The kids love brushing the dark, tangy sauce across the top right at the table.

Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 15 minutes · Total: about 30 minutes · Serves: 2

How do you keep okonomiyaki from turning soggy? Okonomiyaki turns soggy when shredded cabbage sits in the batter and weeps moisture.

To keep the pancake tender with crisp edges, toss the cabbage into the flour mixture right before frying. Using chilled liquid also protects the delicate flour proteins so the interior cooks up light rather than gummy.

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The Ingredient List

100 g cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
75 to 100 ml cooled dashi
1 tsp milk (optional)
1 tsp mirin (optional)
1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
1/4 tsp curry powder (optional)
150 g shredded green cabbage
2 tbsp tenkasu (or crushed potato chips, optional)
2 tsp benishoga (pickled red ginger, optional)
1 to 2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp honey
Bonito flakes
Dried seaweed flakes

Ingredient Notes

Cake flour gives you the most tender pancake crumb because its low protein content prevents tough gluten from forming during mixing. If you only keep all-purpose flour in your pantry, that works well too, but use a light hand when stirring.

Never work the batter vigorously or you will end up with a chewy, rubbery base.

Dashi brings a rich, savory backbone that water simply cannot match. You can make it from scratch or prepare it from instant granules, but it must be completely cold before it touches the flour.

Hot or lukewarm stock will start cooking the starch granules on contact, leaving you with a gluey batter before it even hits the pan.

Fresh green cabbage is the structural heart of this dish. Look for a dense, heavy head with tightly packed leaves that yield crisp, juicy shreds when sliced thin.

Old, limp cabbage releases water irregularly and lacks the clean, sweet crunch you need to balance the rich sauce.

How to Make Okonomiyaki

Whisk the sauce. Stir the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, and honey together in a small bowl until the honey fully dissolves and the sauce looks smooth and glossy.
Make the batter. Whisk the cake flour with the cooled dashi in a medium bowl, adding the optional milk, mirin, soy sauce, and curry powder, until a smooth batter forms with no dry flour pockets remaining.
Fold the filling. Add the shredded green cabbage, optional tenkasu, and optional benishoga to the bowl, tossing gently with a spoon right before cooking until the cabbage shreds are evenly coated in a thin sheen of batter.
Fry the first side. Pour the mixture into your heated skillet, shaping it into a round without pressing down, until the bottom sets and turns a steady golden brown.
Flip and finish. Turn the pancake over carefully, cooking the second side without pressing on the surface, until the edges feel firm and the center feels cooked through when gently prodded.
Sauce and serve. Brush the top generously with your prepared sauce, scattering bonito flakes and dried seaweed over the surface until the flakes begin to dance from the rising steam.

Make-Ahead and Leftovers

Let any leftover pancake cool completely on a wire rack before packing it away. Transfer it to an airtight container or wrap it tightly in foil, then keep it in the refrigerator for up to two days.

The cabbage will slowly soften over time, but the savory flavors hold up nicely for a quick lunch. Reheat your pancake in a dry skillet over medium-low heat or in a toaster oven so the exterior crisps back up.

Avoid using the microwave if you can help it, since the trapped steam makes the cabbage soggy and turns the flour soft.

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