These cabbage pancakes are hard for me to pronounce – I don’t say the name at all in the video!  Officially, they are called Okonomiyaki.  Tasty, full of vegetables, and easy to improvise with.  Try kale instead of the cabbage, or add some grated carrots, flakes of cooked salmon or chopped crispy bacon.  We cut the 8″ pancake into wedges for an appetizer or side dish.  Make them a little smaller and top with a fried egg for any meal of the day!

  • 4 cups shredded cabbage
  • 6 large eggs
  • 4 scallions – sliced
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tbl soy sauce
  • 1 tbl sesame seeds
  • 1 tbl toasted sesame oil
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper
  • 4 tbl vegetable oil
  1. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and use your hands to “fluff” the strands.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the vegetable oil, and whisk again.  A few lumps are perfectly fine.
  3. Pour the batter over the cabbage and use tongs to toss everything together.  You want all of the cabbage strands to be coated in the batter.
  4. Heat an 8″ skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tbl of the oil and let the oil heat for about 30 seconds.  Use your tongs to put half of the cabbage in the skillet and then gently press down on the cabbage to make a flat even surface.  Cover the pan, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 6 minutes.
  5. Uncover the pan.  Shake the pan to make sure that the pancake is set on the bottom and not stuck.  If you are brave, flip the pancake in the air.  If not, I won’t laugh.  Just use a heat proof or fish spatula to help guide the pancake over.  Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil around the edges of the pancake.  Cover again and cook another 6 minutes.
  6. Remove the pancake to a plate, garnish with the sauces and cut into wedges.  Devour and enjoy!  Repeat with the remaining cabbage and vegetable oil.

Sauces:

Spicy Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tsp water
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha

BBQ Sauce:

  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tbl soy sauce

Each sauce can be made in a small bowl and mixed together with a small spoon.  Go Jackson Pollock on the pancake and make splashes and splatters of the sauces.  YUM!