Japanese Vegetable Pancakes (Okonomiyaki)

-LW

Source: Smitten Kitchen

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/

These are a really tasty kind of egg and shredded veggie pancake that reminds me of zucchini pancakes or potato pancakes. I first had okonomiyaki when my friend Bessie, who is an expert on all things Japanese, made them for me. I've since had other versions in restaurants, but I didn't like them as much as Bessie's. Then I found this Smitten Kitchen recipe, and decided to try it since I trust the source. Still very different from Bessie's, but I also like this version.

I think you could use this basic recipe structure to use up whatever you have in the fridge in the way of shreddable veggies (zucchini, shaved asparagus, even beets for a very pink pancake!). You could probably put chopped cooked seafood into the batter too if you wanted more protein, but these are pretty filling as it is. As the Smitten Kitchen recipe says, you can make them as 4 large pancakes or as 12 little ones. I made the little ones.

Traditionally you sprinkle them with fish flakes, seaweed, mayonaisse, and/or okonomiyaki sauce. I didn't have any of these, so I used katsu sauce and the toasted sesame seeds SK recommended. Probably not at all authentic, but they tasted really good.

Ingredients
1/2 small head cabbage, very thinly sliced, about 1 pound or 5 to 6 cups shreds (I actually used an 8 oz. bag of coleslaw mix, a little less than 4 cups) 4 medium carrots, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler 5 lacinato kale leaves, ribs removed, leaves cut into thin ribbons (collard greens would also work) 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 6 large eggs, lightly beaten canola oil for frying

Directions
Toss cabbage, carrot, kale, scallions and salt together in a large bowl. Toss mixture with flour so it coats all of the vegetables. Stir in the eggs. Heat a large heavy skillet on medium-high heat. Coat the bottom with oil and heat that too.

To make a large pancake, add 1/4 of the vegetable mixture to the skillet, pressing it out into a 1/2- to 3/4-inch pancake. Gently press the pancake down flat. Cook until the edges beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. 30 seconds to 1 minute later, flip the pancake with a large spatula. (If this is terrifying, you can first slide the pancake onto a plate, and, using potholders, reverse it back into the hot skillet.) Cook on the other side until the edges brown, and then again up to a minute more (you can peek to make sure the color is right underneath).

To make small pancakes, you can use tongs but I seriously find using my fingers and grabbing little piles, letting a little batter drip back into the bowl, and depositing them in piles on the skillet easier, to form 3 to 4 pancakes. Press down gently with a spatula to they flatten slightly, but no need to spread them much. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the edges brown. Flip the pancakes and cook them again until brown underneath. (I did them this way.)

Regardless of pancake size, you can keep them warm on a tray in the oven at 200 to 250 degrees until needed.

Toast sesame seeds over medium heat in a small skillet until starting to brown. Sprinke over pancakes, along with okonomiyaki sauce, katsu sauce, or whatever sauce you like.