Latke Okonomiyaki — Japanese savory vegetable pancake

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Latke Okonomiyaki is a customizable Japanese savory vegetable pancake. Like a latke, it gets cooked in oil in a fritter formation. Unlike a latke, it’s usually the size of an entire plate.

(The Nosher via JTA) — The Japanese word okonomiyaki is derived from two words: okonomi “how you like it” and yaki “grill.” Okonomiyaki is a customizable Japanese savory vegetable pancake. Like a latke, it gets cooked in oil in a fritter formation. Unlike a latke, it’s usually made into a large plate-sized pancake comprising mainly cabbage.

INGREDIENTS

For the pancakes:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour or gluten free all-purpose mix
• 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 shredded green cabbage about 4 1/2 packed cups
• 3 green onions sliced thin, plus more for garnish if desired
• 1 carrot peeled and shredded
• 4–5 inches daikon peeled and shredded (optional)
• oil as needed (i.e. sunflower, canola or peanut)
• sesame seeds for topping (optional)
• mayonnaise for topping (optional)

For the okonomiyaki sauce:

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbs. soy sauce
• 2 tbs. honey or agave syrup, or to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by making the batter. Whisk together the flour, starch, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.

1. In a separate bowl beat the eggs. Add the eggs and 1/2 cup of water to the flour mixture. Whisk until smooth. You want a fairly thin, crepe batter-like consistency. If you find it too thick, add another 1/4 cup of water. Try not to over-mix; you do not want to overdevelop the gluten. Allow the batter to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour.
2. While the batter is resting, prepare the vegetables. Remove the thick core from the cabbage half, then cut the halved cabbage in two. Thinly slice or shred the cabbage. Thinly slice the green onions. Grate the carrot and daikon if using.
3. Make the okonomiyaki sauce: Combine the ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce and honey/agave in a bowl. Taste and adjust to your liking. The sauce should be tangy, savory and a little sweet.
4. Combine the batter with the vegetable mixture.
5. Heat a cast-iron skillet or a nonstick skillet with about 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Once the oil is glistening and hot, lower the heat to medium low and add some of the cabbage mixture to the pan, gently nudging it into a circle shape. I like to make each pancake with about 2 cups of the mixture. For me, that makes an ideal-sized pancake that isn’t too hard to flip and one that will hold together. Cover the skillet with a lid for 3–4 minutes. Carefully flip over the pancake, and cover it with a lid for an additional 3–4 minutes, or until browned on both sides and cooked through. Make sure not to cook on too high of a heat or the pancake might burn on the outside while remaining raw in the center.
6. Serve hot topped with a generous spread of the okonomiyaki sauce, mayo if desired, sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
7. Slice and serve!

NOTES

(Sonya Sanford is a chef, food stylist and writer based out of Los Angeles who specializes in modern Jewish cooking. Follow Sanford at www.sonyasanford.com or on Instagram @sonyamichellesanford. Photo by Sanford)

The Nosher food blog offers a dazzling array of new and classic Jewish recipes and food news, from Europe to Yemen, from challah to shakshuka and beyond. Check it out at www.TheNosher.com.

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