Story: お好み焼き- Okonomiyaki
By Lizzie Morrison
Written on 9 May 2008
1 favorite,
278 views
A Japanese dish that consists of whatever you want in it, you just gotta cook it!
Okonomiyaki - Ready to serve.
A Japanese dish consisting of a pan-fried batter and whatever other ingredients you want thrown in. This one we made at a restaurant in Tokyo at our table.
I first discovered Okonomiyaki while visiting Japan in 2004 when my friend Danny and I wandered into a Tokyo restaurant. Most okonomiyaki restaurants are set up to have you cook your own food. They have special hot plates (teppan) designed in the middle of your table. You sit down and order what ingredients you want from the menu. The staff brings out what you ordered in bowls so you can mix and grill at your own pace. Its a bit like an omelette but made like a pancake. You place your ingredients on the teppan and fry both sides. After its cooked you can top it with Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger, aonori (seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (fish flakes), or okonomiyaki sauce (kinda like worcestershire sauce). Despite its looks, it truly is tasty.
Other photos in this article...
This article has been submitted to the recurring theme “Local Flavor.”
Do you think it’s good for this theme?
Comments...
9 May 2008, Lizzie Morrison said:
Japanese mayo is very missed.
9 May 2008, Todd Lappin said:
I love okonomiyaki! But you left out the best part: The way the katsuobushi flakes on the top start to wiggle and move thanks to the rising steam.
9 May 2008, Brian Hunziker said:
I second the mayo-missing. I love the fact that in Japanese there is a word: マヨラー (Mayoraa) which means mayo-lover.
Which I am. :)
9 May 2008, Lizzie Morrison said:
hah I forgot all about that todd. thanks for the flashback!
brian, I hate mayo, seriously don't use it all in america, but japanese mayo is just something of its own class. its fantastic.
12 May 2008, Todd Lappin said:
I agree. I call mayo "Satan's Condiment." Never touch the stuff, even though, yes, Japanese mayo is much better.
Okay, now I'm hungry...
9 June 2008, Matt Herold said:
Oishishou!
I had a Japanese friend visit recently and she made me some okonomiyaki topped with strips of bacon.
It had to be bad for me but, MAN... was it tasty!
I may just have to go hit the Japanese market this evening...