Tomorrow is pancake day. We’re not short on pancake recipes on this blog – I’m a big fan of exploring what this recipe looks like around the world – but today I wanted to give you an extra special recipe. Okonomiyaki is a traditional snack on the streets of japan. Sold at food stalls and small, hole in the wall restaurants, it’s incredibly popular.
There are a few traditional elements that I’ve had to look at substituting. There are no eggs in this batter normally, instead a Japanese yam called a nagaimo is grated. It produces a thick sludge that works as a great binder but it practically impossible to find in the UK. Instead, I’ve used a combination of chickpea flour and potato starch to get the right texture. Coated in my version of the traditional Japanese barbeque sauce (which is another item that I’ve struggled to find) and a generous drizzle of Japanese mayo. This makes a filling and tasty meal that is completely unlike any other pancake I’ve found.
- Makes: Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For the Cabbage Pancake:
- 160g Gluten Free Flour*
- 90g Chickpea Flour
- 45g Potato Starch
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Ltr Vegetable Stock (dashi is a great option here)
- 750g White Cabbage, finely shredded
- 40g Spring Onion, chopped
- 2 Tbsp Dried Wakame, soaked
- 1/2 cup Tempura Scraps
For the Okonomiyaki Sauce:
- 5 Tbsp Ketchup
- 3 Tbsp Vegan Worcester Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce Substitute (see allergy note below)
- 1/2 tsp Vegan Fish Sauce
- 1 tsp Toasted Sesame OIl
- 1 Tbsp Peanut Butter
- 1 Dried Shitake Mushroom, soaked
- 1 tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 3 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1/4 cup Water
For the Japanese Mayo:
- 1/2 cup Vegan Mayo
- 1 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Black Salt
Optional Toppings:
- Aubergine slices
- Sesame Seeds
- Spring Onion Slices
- Dried Chilli Flakes
- Pickled Ginger
Directions
Apart from the baking powder, sift together the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the stock until you have a thick batter. If you have time, cover the bowel and allow the batter to rest for at least 15 minutes to allow the flours to fully absorb the liquid. Once rested, add more stock if needed to make sure the batter is still thick but pourable. Stir through the rest of the pancake ingredients, folding until the cabbage is completely coated.
Place a large frying pan onto a medium heat with a touch of oil. Once the pan is hot, spread a large spoonful on into a circle. If using, shingle a few aubergine slices on top and press down firmly to push the cabbage together. Cover, and cook for 5 minutes, or until browned on one side. Flip, press down again, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Again flip, and cook without covering until browned and crisp on both sides. Repeat until all the batter has been used.
While the pancake cooks, make the sauce and Japanese style mayo. Place all the sauce ingredients into the blender jar and mix until smooth. Stir together the mayo ingredients and place into a squeeze bottle if you have it.
To serve, brush the top with sauce and drizzle with mayo. Add you preferred toppings to enjoy!
Notes
* If your gluten free flour doesn’t contain xanthan gum then add 1/4 tsp
Allergy Notes;
I’m going to keep saying this – Soy Sauce is NOT gluten free as the brewing process contains wheat. A good gluten free option is Tamari which normally contains little to no gluten, is slightly less salty, and thicker than soy sauce. As always, check your brand to make sure you’ve not accidentally picked up one of the few brands which uses gluten. We use coconut aminos in our house, while not quite as rich as soy sauce, it’s both gluten free and soy free but different brands vary tremendously – you may have to look around before finding one that suits you.
This is vegan, gluten free, and depending on your choice of vegan mayo, can be soy free and nut free. If sesame seeds are an allergen for you then just skip them and the oil – it’ll still be tasty
