Recipe: Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) using the least number of ingredients possible. Perfect emergency meal!

Number of steps:  6 steps
Approximately 100 kcal per serving

About This Dish:
Okonomiyaki is a savoury Japanese pancake containing various ingredients varying by region. Osaka has different types, Hiroshima has different types and Tokyo has different types! Some areas like to put in meat, some areas like seafood. Some put a layer of noodles underneath and top it with a cracked egg. Some mix rice into the mix! Basically, you can throw in whatever you like into these pancakes. In Japan, "Okonomiyaki Parties" are very popular. People basically set up a hot plate at home and make okonomiyakis! There are many restaurants serving gourmet to casual okonomiyakis as well. The best thing about this dish is that you can throw in the craziest ingredients of your preference whether it be natto, cheese or pickles! 

The main ingredients for an okonomiyaki is cabbage, flour and the toppings (sauce, mayo). The toppings are usually the same where ever you go. You can buy the sauces on Amazon.com or at any asian supermarket; I saw it at Shaws recently too.  

This recipe is the simplest of them all. Minimal ingredients. I even had to use whole wheat flour since I had run out of the regular kind. It still worked!

What You Need:
(Makes 4 servings/pancakes)

• A lot of shredded cabbage, as much as you like (I probably used 3, 4 cups)
• 1 egg
• 120g all purpose flour (I used all purpose whole wheat flour!)
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp Japanese shoyu (soy sauce)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Hondashi soup stock (Link: Amazon)
• Salt
• 160 - 200 cc water (depending on your preference of consistency)
• (Optional) Any other ingredients you may wish to add such as meat (usually thin sliced pork), vegetables, seafood, green onion, cheese, mochi....etc! I decided to add frozen shrimp! 

Topping (Consistent among regions)

• Katsu sauce, worcestorshire sauce, okonomiyaki sauce  (Links: Amazon)
• Japanese kewpie mayo! (or regular mayo of course)
• Dried shaved bonito flakes (a.k.a. Katsuobushi) 
• Aonori flakes (seaweed)

Steps:
Since the recipe is so simple, I'm going to go with just text! 

1. Mix the flour, baking powder and potato starch together in a bowl.
2. Add the egg, soy sauce, sugar, dashi and salt. Mix further.
3. Add the water, not all at once.
4. Once the mixture becomes smooth, add the cabbage and other ingredients you decide to use.
5. Heat a pan with oil on MEDIUM heat and cook the pancakes until crispy and brown. After making one side crispy, I highly recommend you cover the pan to let the pancakes steam for a couple of minutes.
6. Top the pancakes with sauce, mayo, etc and enjoy!