Japanese Okonomiyaki

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 100ml cooled fish stock, vegetable, chicken or dashi stock
• 1 baby potato, peeled and grated
• ¼ white, pointed or sweetheart cabbage, shredded
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp mirin
• 100g lightly cooked squid, king prawns or octopus (or some of each)
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp brown sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp mirin
• 1/ tsp honey
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• dried bonito flakes
• powdered seaweed or togarashi seasoning
• sliced spring onion

Preparation

Serves 2

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, egg and stock. Mix until smooth, whisking out any lumps without overmixing. Add the potato, season with a little salt and white pepper, cover and rest for at least 2 hrs.
2. While the mix is resting, combine the ingredients for the sauce, stirring until it’s smooth. Set aside.
3. Remove the batter from the fridge and add the cabbage, spring onion, ginger, soy, mirin and chosen seafood. Stir to thoroughly coat the mix in the batter.
4. Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Pour the mixture into the pan, keeping it as circular as possible. Fry for 3-5 mins. Use a palette knife to help you flip it over and cook for a further 3-5 mins, using a lid at intervals to trap the heat so it cooks through. Test to see if it’s ready by sticking a chopstick into the middle. If it comes out dry, it’s ready.
5. Flip onto a board and serve with the sauce and garnishes to taste. Eat straight away.