Passport & Plate - Okonomiyaki
India | Thursday, January 29, 2015 | 4 photos
Ingredients
1. All-purpose flour: 1/3rd cup
2. Chopped cabbage: 2 cups
3. Trimmed and chopped scallions: a bunch
4. Eggs: 5
5. Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons
6. Mayonnaise: 1/4 cup
7. Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
8. Canola oil: 2 tablespoons
9. Salt: 1 teaspoon
How to prepare this recipe1. Whisk together eggs, soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil.
2. Gradually add the flour while whisking continuously to avoid lumps.
3. Add the shredded cabbage and scallion and mix together with a ladle.
4. Heat canola oil in a pan (non-stick is best). You will know when the oil is ready when you see tiny bubbles frothing at the sides of the oil.
Note: Do not wait for the oil to boil and become too hot (this is when the oil bubbles over and fumes begin to rise) as then when you pour the batter, it could get burnt directly instead of getting cooked.
5. Pour a ladle-full of the batter onto the pan and spread it out gently. Make sure you do not spread it out too much else the pancake will be too thin and break when you flip over.
6. Let the pancake cook for three minutes and when it starts browning on the sides, gently flip it over to the other side and let it brown as well.
Tip: The best way to flip over any pancake is to first gently prod it along its edges to see if it is sticking to the pan. Prodding it along the edges also helps it release from the pan to make it easier to flip it over.
7. When the pancake is cooked (poke it with a fork or the tip of a knife; if it comes out clean it means it is cooked), scoop it out onto a serving dish. Drizzle mayonnaise over the pancake in the traditional zig-zag lines.
Serving suggestion: You can sprinkle dried bonito flakes and sriracha to garnish. Okonomiyaki is best served alongwith fresh sprouts.
The story behind this recipeIt was in Goa that we chanced upon this place. It was tastefully decorated and the place instantly warmed me with its intense coziness and homely ambience.
As delicate as the place, the hostess introduced herself and her place as Japanese. My boyfriend drew my attention to the menu, which was a blackboard with the day’s fare written out in bold letters. I read familiar names and thought, coming to such a place, having the usual stuff available everywhere would be quite a bore, and wished if there was something as different as the place itself. My eyes then fell on the last name at the bottom of the board. Okonomiyaki. I had to repeat it several times in my head. Reluctant to suggest it, I turned to him for help. Okonomiyaki (?) It was a question, but I happily accepted it as a declaration.
We held our breath, as Okonomiyaki announced its arrival. The hostess laid it on the table, and the sight was pure symphony to our eyes.
It adorned my plate like a bride, with some sprouts and cabbage leaves around it like brides-maids. I generally dislike sprouts and raw veggies, but the ones on my plate seemed to have acquired a succulent aura, merely by their presence next to the piece of exquisiteness. The Okonomiyaki exuded grace as we dissected it gently.
The knife felt no pressure as it magically carved out thin wedges of the pancake. Soft in texture, no single ingredient was overpowering and it was cooked to perfection. Okonomiyaki is always prepared fresh according to the diner’s taste. My boyfriend and I gave each other subtle hints of ordering another one. But as we had taken it slow, enjoying every morsel, we felt our stomachs slowly filling up, and my mind clouding with images of Japanese cherry blossoms and lilting music of Japanese traditional string instruments.
