Cooking with Culture: Filmmaker foodie tries to perfect savory Japanese-style pancake
Curtis McGillivray makes Okonomiyaki using a family recipe shared by chef Ringo of the Tipsy Samurai
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In this edition of Cooking with Culture, Curtis McGillivray is taking on something he's never eaten before.
It's called Okonomiyaki, and it's a grilled savory pancake that is made to order on the streets of Osaka, Japan.
The name of the dish comes from Okonomi "as you like it" and yaki "grill" — basically, grill as you like it!
The recipe comes from Kaori "Ringo" Nakaya, the chef at Regina's Tipsy Samurai restaurant. It's a family recipe, not something from the restaurant's menu.
Okonomiyaki is similar to a frittata or omelette, and is sometimes referred to as Japanese Pizza, because it's usually full of fresh sauteed veggies along with some meat or seafood.
It's cooked in a pan and, once it's nice and golden, topped with sauces, garnished and sliced to enjoy.
Watch the video at the top of this page to see Curtis try to create an Okonomiyaki using just the ingredients but without the instructions, as Tipsy Samurai chef Ringo and Sake Sommelier/manager Koreto Yamauchi react.
If you want to make this recipe at home, here are the ingredients and the instructions:
Family Style Okonomiyaki (Makes One large pancake)
Pancake Batter
- 100 grams flour.
- 100 mL dashi broth.
- 1 egg.
Filling
- 100 grams cabbage.
- 10 grams green onion.
- 20 grams pickled ginger.
- 20 grams tempura bits.
Protein
- 1 slice pork belly.
Garnish
- Japanese mayonnaise.
- Tonkatsu sauce.
- Bonito flakes.
- Aonori (dried green seaweed).
Instructions:
1. Mix the flour, egg and dashi together in a bowl.
2. Add cabbage, green onion, pickled ginger and tempura bits into the bowl of batter. Stir to combine all ingredients.
3. Fry a slice of pork belly in a hot pan.
4. Scoop the pancake mixture into to the pan. Let the underside cook until golden brown, then flip.
5. Cook until second side is golden brown.
6. Serve with Tonkatsu sauce, Japanese mayonnaise, bonito flakes and aonori on top.
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