Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki (Basic) Recipe by OkonomiYuki (2024)

FAQs

What is a basic okonomiyaki made of? ›

To make the okonomiyaki batter, whisk together the eggs, flour, salt, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil until smooth. Fold the spring onions and cabbage into the batter until everything is well coated. Heat enough oil to just cover the bottom of a large frying pan over a medium–high heat until shimmering.

Unlike in Osaka, the ingredients are not all mixed together – cooking a Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki involves layering of ingredients; first the batter, then the noodles, and then the toppings, which are piled high at the beginning and then flipped frequently while cooking.

Okonomiyaki

Unlike the conventional dish popularized in Osaka, Hiroshima layers this savory pancake with pork, cheese, and noodles. Look at all those layers of noodles… and oysters! A central place to dine on this regional dish is the dedicated building, Okonomi-mura which is close to the Peace Memorial Park.

There are two significantly different types of Okonomiyaki. First, the Kansai or Osaka style, in which the ingredients are all mixed into a batter and then grilled. Second, the Hiroshima style, in which a small crepe-like pancake is grilled and then other ingredients are layered on top.

Hiroshima-style is made by layering all the ingredients to form a mille-feuille and is usually topped with noodles. The main difference between "Shobara-yaki" and "Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki" is that rice is added instead of noodles, and ponzu sauce is used instead of okonomiyaki sauce.

Okonomiyaki is traditionally made with dashi, the essential Japanese soup stock, so if you have it, please use it in place of the vegetable stock. Half a regular-sized cabbage is all you'll need for this recipe and you could also substitute with purple cabbage.

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. Soba or udon noodles are also added to Hiroshima-yaki in another layer as well. (Although they do add noodles to okonomiyaki in Osaka.

Nagaimo (Yamaimo)

This is Japanese long yam (nagaimo) and it's the most important ingredient to yield a non-doughy, fluffy okonomiyaki. Grated nagaimo yields a slimy, slippery, thick liquid, akin to lightly beaten egg whites. When cooked, it adds volume to the batter and creates a fluffy okonomiyaki.

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.

These have developed over the years into a fluffy Japanese-style of pancake commonly known as “hottokeki” (hotcakes). Japanese hotcakes are distinguished by their souffle-like texture which creates a thick yet light and fluffy pancake that may be up to several inches high.

Who ate the first pancake? ›

Our prehistoric ancestors just may have eaten pancakes.

Analyses of starch grains on 30,000-year-old grinding tools suggest that Stone Age cooks were making flour out of cattails and ferns—which, researchers guess, was likely mixed with water and baked on a hot, possibly greased, rock.

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.

Once one side of the okonomiyaki has been sufficiently cooked, the spatulas are used one in each hand to flip it onto the other side.

Bonito flakes - known as katsuobushi in Japanese - are a strange food upon first sight. They are known to move or dance when used as a topping on foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

The word "okonomiyaki" is derived from "okonomi" meaning "as you like" and "yaki" meaning "grilled. It's commonly referred to as being a Japanese pancake. Accurate to its name, okonomiyaki can be served with a variety of toppings which include everything from meat and seafood to vegetables and cheese.

Okonomiyaki flour is made of unbleached wheat and soy flours, leavening and spices such as kelp for flavor. It's designed to rise naturally on its own, meaning you don't need to add extra ingredients like nagaimo to get thick, fluffy pancakes.

At their base okonomiyaki consist of flour, water, egg, and shredded cabbage which is mixed into a batter and cooked similar to a pancakes on a grill until both sides are golden brown, crispy and good! They are so easy to make!

Yamaimo is Japanese mountain yam, a long root vegetable with thin, light brown skin and a slippery internal texture. (It can be omitted.) Hondashi is granulated dashi powder. (Water can be used in its place.)