Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki

Ingredients

Method

1. 01
   Prepare the vegetables. Remove the tough cabbage core and cut the leaves into rough 5 mm pieces; thinly slice the green onions and pickled ginger. Keep the cabbage dry after washing because trapped water thins the batter and makes the pancake heavy.
2. 02
   Mix the batter. Whisk flour and cold dashi just until no dry pockets remain, then fold in finely grated nagaimo. The yam makes the center light and custardy; stop mixing while a few small lumps remain so gluten does not toughen it.
3. 03
   Build one portion at a time. For each pancake, put one quarter of the cabbage, green onion, ginger, tenkasu, and batter in a bowl, add one egg, and fold 10–12 times. Mixing all four portions in advance draws water from the cabbage and leaves the final pancake flat.
   
4. 04
   Shape the pancake. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 20 cm skillet over medium heat, add one portion, and form a 2 cm-thick round without pressing it solid. Lay one quarter of the pork belly across the top, cover, and cook for 5 minutes until the bottom is deep golden and the edge looks set.
   
5. 05
   Flip without breaking it. Slide the pancake onto a plate, invert the hot skillet over it, and turn both together; use two broad spatulas if that feels easier. Cover and cook the pork side for 5 minutes over medium-low heat until the cabbage softens and the pork renders.
   
6. 06
   Crisp the surface. Turn the pancake once more and cook uncovered for 2 minutes, allowing steam to escape. A skewer through the center should come out without raw batter, and the pancake should spring back rather than slosh when nudged.
7. 07
   Dress and serve. Brush the hot top with okonomiyaki sauce, pipe mayonnaise in thin lines, and scatter aonori and bonito flakes over it. Serve at once while the pork edge is crisp, and repeat with the remaining portions, wiping out any dark crumbs between pancakes.

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