Japanese pizza or vegetable pancakes

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300 g flour
• 360 ml fish broth, cold (approx. 1 tsp dashi powder dissolved in 360 ml water) – alternatively: very diluted vegetable broth
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• ½ head of white cabbage or Chinese cabbage
• e.g. bean sprouts, shrimps, raw squid, meat strips (pork belly or mild smoked bacon!), spring
• 5 tbsp sauce (Tonkatsu sauce, available in Asian shops – for instructions on making your own, see my Tonkatsu recipe)
• 5 tbsp tomato ketchup
• e.g. mayonnaise, aonori (dried green seaweed), katsuo-bushi (dried tuna or bonito flakes), be

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 45 minutes

Okonomiyaki

For the batter, sift flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. Slowly add the cold dashi and whisk until smooth. Cover with cling film and let stand for about 30 minutes. Wash the vegetables. Slice or grate the cabbage into thin (!) strips. Slice the spring onions (if using) into thin rings. For the sauce, combine the tonkatsu sauce with the ketchup. In a medium-sized bowl, add: – about a quarter of the batter – a quarter of the vegetables, meat, fish, etc. – an egg. Quickly and roughly mix everything. In a pan with oil, fry the mixture over medium heat until browned. Flip the mixture over medium heat to form a pancake. Generously brush the top with the sauce (tonkatsu sauce and ketchup). (Important!) Sprinkle with aonori and bonito flakes, if desired. For an especially delicious dish, top with a little mayonnaise (and pickled ginger, if desired). Tip: I often prepare this with friends as a “cooking experience.” A “hot stone” is placed on the table. Each diner is given a small bowl of dough and an egg at their table and helps themselves to all the other ingredients. They then prepare their own “Japanese pizza.” (As the host, this also means less work in the kitchen.)