Okonomiyaki (Japanese Pancakes) Recipe | A Spicy Perspective (2024)

FAQs

What are the two types of okonomiyaki? ›

The main difference is in how they are prepared and the relative amounts of each ingredient. In Osaka style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are mixed together and cooked together. In Hiroshima style okonomiyaki, all of the ingredients are layered almost like a cake.

There could be several reasons your pancakes aren't as fluffy as you like. Overmixing is probably the most common. Pancake batter (for fluffy ones) should be mixed just until the flour is hydrated, but should still have a few lumps. Mixing until it is completely smooth will make thinner pancakes.

Okonomi sauce is a descendant of Worcestershire sauce, but it is far sweeter and less salty than its British ancestor. This is because Worcestershire's main ingredient and the source of its powerful umami flavor is anchovies, while okonomi sauce's main ingredient is dates.

Unlike a typical sweet pancake, okonomiyaki is not fluffy or sweet. It's a dense, savory pancake with various proteins cooked into the batter. The method these savory pancakes are served in okonomiyaki restaurants is also very different from sweet pancakes.

Okonomiyaki is sometimes translated into English as "as-you-like-it pancake". However, this may be misleading. Though it does consist of batter cooked on a griddle, okonomiyaki has nothing of the sweetness or fluffiness of pancakes, not to mention that it is usually filled with octopus, shrimp, pork, yam or kimchi.

There are two major steps that distinguish Japanese pancakes from American pancakes: folding in whipped egg whites, and cooking them in ring molds.

Are Japanese pancakes healthy? Yes, Japanese pancakes are generally considered healthy as they are made with nutritious ingredients such as flour, eggs, milk, and sugar. However, the healthiness of the pancakes depends on the toppings and additional ingredients used.

The soufflé pancake's signature rise is due to the incorporation of beaten egg white. However, the stability of the egg whites can be compromised by a number of factors. Some of the common causes of deflated pancakes include: Over-mixing the batter: Overmixing will 'deflate' the egg whites.

Okonomi sauce, also known as okonomiyaki sauce is a sweet-savoury Japanese condiment, with rich flavours similar to thick Worcestershire sauce. As its name suggests, the sauce is the traditional topping for Okonomiyaki savoury pancakes, but is also a great accompaniment to takoyaki and pork belly dishes.

A classic topping is pork belly slices, placed on top of the savory pancake while grilling. Once cooked, okonomiyaki is topped with a variety of condiments such as okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise, dried seaweed, and dried bonito flakes.

What is the moving stuff on okonomiyaki? ›

They are known to move or dance when used as a topping on foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki. It can be an odd sight upon first viewing if moving food makes you squeamish. However, it is nothing to be alarmed about. The bonito flakes move due to their thin and light structure upon the hot food and are not alive.

A type of pan-fried batter or savoury pancake, monjayaki is Tokyo's answer to okonomiyaki, the iconic dish of Hiroshima and Osaka. Monjayaki retains a slightly runny appearance much like melted cheese even when cooked – but the delicious concoction tastes better than it looks.

Eat it right away.

Like many egg-based dishes, okonomiyaki is best hot off the stove.

Its flavors—sweet and savory, spicy from bits of ginger, smoky with the flavor of dashi—were instantly recognizable (as they would be to anyone who grew up eating casual Japanese food), while the texture, simultaneously crunchy and creamy, hit all of my comfort food sweet spots.

For Kansai-style okonomiyaki, ingredients are mixed into a flour batter and then cooked as a single-layered pancake. In contrast, the Hiroshima-style layers its ingredients, beginning with a thin fried egg and crepe-like batter followed by vegetables, meat and stir-fried noodles.

Okonomiyaki, hailing from Osaka, features a thick batter loaded with cabbage and ingredients mixed together and cooked like a pancake. Monjayaki, from Tokyo, stands out with a thinner, runnier batter and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Ingredients are first cooked separately, and then the batter is added.

Okonomiyaki uses a pancake type batter. This is then mixed with cabbage and other ingredients such as seafood and various meats. This is then fried like a normal pancake, just until the dough is cooked in the centre. On the other hand, Tonpeiyaki uses eggs to create a type of omelette.

Negiyaki is a food similar to okonomiyaki, but made with finely chopped green onions. The main difference between Negiyaki and Okonomiyaki is the seasoning. While okonomiyaki is usually dipped in okonomiyaki sauce, Negiyaki is dipped in light soy sauce or dashi soy sauce.