Okonomiyaki Time

Hungry? I sure hope so, because I got for you today a savory and steamy blog. It's guaranteed to leave you salivating - and at the very least, curious. So, sit back, relax, and if you're inspired to follow along after you're done reading, more power to you!

And before you ask: not that kind of steamy, you perverts!





Kenichiro Fukui - "Dawn"
Einhänder Original Soundtrack

What better way to wake up than "calm" and slowly-rising techno music? Okay, I can think of at least six better methods, and one of them's not safe for work. =3

"Dawn" is a catchy tune used at the start of Stage Five in Squaresoft's side-scrolling shooter Einhänder, and it's a great way to start the morning. (Freshly-destroyed fighter craft optional.)



"Cookery is become an art, a noble science; cooks are gentlemen."
- Robert Burton
(The Anatomy of Melancholy)

Cooking is an art. My respect goes out to the friends I know who can cook, the other friends who are trying their best, and those out there with a passion for great food.

And because of this quote, I'm now determined to cook something scrumptious while dressed up in something fashionable and amazing-looking. When I complete the Seventh Resolution, someone remind me to do this. If I achieve this while completing the Ninth Resolution, it'll be even better. (I'm serious. That's a double win in more ways than one right there. *winks*)





Afternoon, everybody. Time to see what I cooked up and what stopped me from posting something decent on the day before today! Hold on to your napkins and stay your salivating tongues - the main course is here!

Okonomiyaki~!

So yesterday I was at a friend's house, and apparently he wanted to cook up some food for his family. As I was there, I got to experiment with something I've never heard of before: okonomiyaki. It's a savory Japanese pancake. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki meaning "grilled" or "cooked" (thank you, Wikipedia).

The main ingredients for an okonomiyaki involve specialized flour, eggs, cabbage, and any assorted mix of veggies and meats.

As educational as that was, you'd rather learn how to make an okonomiyaki, right? That's good, because for the first time in ages (and I mean Wednesday, September 14, 2011 AGES), I'll be posting a recipe on my blog! (You know... just in case that "recipe" tag wasn't a big clue-in or anything.)

(In case you were wondering: it was our first time cooking it, and when we all tried it, it was GOOD.)





Okonomiyaki
(Perfect for any time of day!)

Now, there's a few variants of okonomiyaki, named after the regions in Japan that cultivated the version of it. The most well-known versions?

• Kansai-/Osaka-style: the predominant version. The ingredients are mixed into a batter and then prepped much like a traditional pancake - fried on both sides until (lightly) golden-brown.
• Hiroshima-style: Rather than mixed into the batter, the ingredients are layered. More cabbage is used than Kansai-style, and a generous amount of noodles are used to top off the dish as well.

When I cooked it last night, we had a recipe for the Kansai-style variant, and as such, I'll be explaining that to you.

(Author's Note: As a heads-up, these measurements are all approximate. We were just mixing a whole bunch in, and we ended up with plenty of mix - enough for everyone to have seconds and enough for a few to have thirds. The measurements I'm using here are assuming you're cooking two servings, so adjust as necessary if there's more people or if the batter seems too dry/wet. Also, the recipe we used (and subsequently modified) called for the ingredients below. You're more than welcome to change the "optional ingredients" around to your liking.)

EQUIPMENT:
oven
frying pan
spatula
mixing bowl & utensils

MATS:
REQUIRED:

• 1 cup okonomiyaki flour (regular flour can be used, but it lacks the flavor)
• 2/3 cup water or chicken stock
• 2 eggs/egg substitutes
• 4 cups cabbage (shredded)
• 1/4 cup tenkatsu (tempura) bits

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS (our recipe called for these; feel free to switch 'em out):

• 2 stalks of green onion (thinly sliced diagonally)
• 6 bacon strips (cut into 3" pieces)
• 1/2 cup raw shrimp (cut into chunks)
• 1-2 Chinese sausage links (cut diagonally)

TOPPINGS (all optional):

• mayonnaise
• tonkatsu sauce
• aonori (seaweed flakes)
• katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

DIRECTIONS:
1.) Mix Flour and Water/Stock until smooth

Iiiiit's mixing time, it's mixing time...

Not like you need any directions on how to do this. Any rudimentary beginner can do this no problem.

2.) Add Cabbage, Tempura Bits, and all other desired ingredients (minus bacon); Mix

It may look unpleasant, but trust me when I say it's smells better than it looks.

Mix it as evenly as possible.

3.) Pre-heat pan; Add Mixture to pan

It's no "Kitchen Stadium," but it'll do nicely.

Again, rudimentary skills here.

4.) Flatten pancakes if necessary, add Bacon Strips

Oh, just give it a few more minutes... and maybe...

Depending on how thick you want your okonomiyaki, you're going to want to make sure it's flat. Of course, the thinner it is, the faster it'll cook, so be careful if you have it on high heat.

5.) Flip Pancakes after approximately 3 minutes

Firm, but not yet fully finished...

The other side's gotta cook, ya' know? (So does the bacon.)

6.) Wait 3-4 minutes and flip pancakes
No need for pictures or instructions here.

7.) Continually flip as necessary until firm and browned to preference.

A before-and-after comparison shot. Nice, eh?

Depending on how brown you want your okonomiyaki, let it sit as necessary. Personally, I prefer a light-golden-brown - makes for the perfect, firm texture while still keeping its fluffiness.

8.) Add garnish and toppings as desired.

Savory as is? Or savory plus more savory?

This dish is great on its own, but with a bit of mayo and tonkatsu sauce, this becomes bomb.

9.) Eat and enjoy as quickly as possible.
Because some bastard is sure to try to steal yours. No, seriously. Since the recipe told us to do so, I'd advise you to do the same - especially if you found this to be as delicious as I did.





"Allez cuisine!" Now that's good eatin'! So, until the 'morrow, everyone! =D