Most nights, I open the fridge to find a bounty of fresh and cooked vegetables, grains, beans – along with all those condiments and sauces in need of Kondo-ing.
When I’ve been too busy for my normal weekend shopping-and-cooking ritual, though, things can look a little sparse. But there’s almost always the ingredients to make okonomiyaki, Japan’s great savory cabbage pancake. I usually have cabbage because I buy a huge one and cut large chunks off it for making small portions of slaw. And here’s the great thing about okonomiyaki: There are so many regional variations, and it’s so adaptable (“okonomi” means “choice,” writes cookbook author Kimiko Barber) that if you want to throw in some other ingredients, too, you’re in no danger of violating some sacred principle.
I’ve had it lots of ways, but the common denominator, and the reason I keep coming back, is its irresistible combination of creamy and crunchy textures.
Barber’s basic recipe is straightforward: You toss cabbage, scallions and ginger in a simple batter, pan-fry it, and top with a sauce (commercial okonomi sauce is traditional, but I jumped at Barber’s substitution suggestion of A.1. Sauce) and crushed nori. In the spirit of the dish’s name, I cooked thin slices of smoked tofu on one side instead of bacon, to keep it vegetarian. If that’s not your jam, you could mix in cooked shrimp, squid, scallops, chicken or ground beef, or even ham or canned tuna. You could even play with adding cooked mushrooms or greens. And, as many other recipes suggest, a drizzle of Kewpie mayonnaise would not be a bad thing.
