Okonomiyaki

Earning my Cliff Claven comparisons:

Been into Japanese food for a month or so now. Well, considering my cooking style is learned almost entirely from texts, and my local ingredients are not what one would gt in Tokyo, perhaps "Japanish" is a better term. Anyway.

The other day I discovered okonomiyaki, and find myself making it daily -- almost obsessively. "Okonomiyaki" means "as you like" or "cook a you like," and it's been described somewhat accurately as a cross between pancakes and pizza. Basically, you pour batter onto a hot skillet/griddle; while it's cooking, you throw in whatever toppings; cabbage seems universal, and I use onion, carrot, diakon, and usually strips of beef or chicken. After the batter side is done, flip it over and cook. the other side. Hiroshima style then puts a broken egg onto the skillet and transfers the whole thing on top (I prefer this, if only because it's neater; the batter seals one side, the egg the other). Then spread on mayonnaise and/or "okonomiyaki" sauce (basically ketchup, soy sauce and worstershire, seasoned and thickened).

Quick. Easy. Tasty. Nutritious (being mostly vegetables). Easily made vegan. While I'm sure my attempts would be recognized by anyone who's lived in Japan, I thought I'd mention it. I keep some shredded cabbage and carrots handy n the fridge now. Today, not having bread for my tuna sandwich, I did he same thing for that, using batter on both sides instead of the egg. It worked.

EDIT: Someone emailed me to ask about the batter. I didn't get specific because I'm not sure I'm using anything better than what anyone else is using. I've seen some that require egg, but I just use flour and water with a pinch of salt and a larger dash of sugar.

I've never used measurements, but I'd guess about a cup of flour, a pinch of salt, maybe a teaspoon of sugar and enough water to make a reasonably liquid batter (enough so to swirl around in the pan, but it doesn't have to be thin like a crepe or anything) Actually, I've been experimenting with various proportions of rice to wheat flour; the rice makes it crispier on the outside, but somehow... gummier(?) on the inside Which isn't necessarily a bad thing depends on your taste.

I also forgot to add that tonight I tried a version mixing the shredded cabbage into the batter before putting into the pan. I may like this better, not sure yet; it's certainly neater, though.