Okonomiyaki - a popular Osaka dish

I am super excited to blog about this!  Another popular Japanese dish to add to my repertoire of attempts. :D  During my super slow j-language studies, I came across Moto's Kitchen: Recipe 18 - Okonomiyaki video.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yj1a_vUtNw.
As Moto mentioned, Okonomiyaki is considered to be a savory Japanese pancake, a highly popular dish said to be originated from Osaka, Japan, made primarily with shredded cabbage.  What makes this dish soooo darn popular is that there are no rules as to what you cannot add to it.  'Okonomi' means - what you want, so whatever you want on a grill - 'yaki' in a shape of a big fat pancake. :D

my version of okonomiyaki :D 

Since my taste buds were unfamiliar to the flavours of an Okonomiyaki, I did my fair share of research. The one ingredient that makes an unique okonomiyaki is the texture of grated white yam.  The grated sticky mass when added to the batter creates a great bind and when cooked, adds a soft, fluffy, ever so slightly gooey texture.  The flavours and texture combined is what make this dish so darn special.  You'll know what I mean when you try this. :D

Okonomiyaki may be described as the savory Japanese pancake but I assure you, besides the similarity of the shape, there is nothing similar in flavor to our typical battered pancake. Okonomiyaki requires very little batter but requires LOADS of cabbage.  Cabbage? seriously?!  Yes, seriously, so if you are not a fan of cabbage, this may not be for you:) Along with shredded cabbage, the range of toppings to add to this dish is truly limitless.  Many typical Okonomiyaki uses thinly sliced pork belly, layered on top of the cabbage dome while cooking but there are many restaurants in Osaka that offer toppings such as cheese, mussels, mushrooms, onions etc.  So whatever you fancy on your Okonomiyaki, go right ahead and use it!

While the skill level required to make Okonomiyaki is superbly simple, it does require several steps.  So lets get cooking!

Okonomiyaki sauce is a must have for this dish.  The sauce itself is made primarily with tomatoes, soya sauce, apples & vinegar, simmered for long hours until it becomes the likeness of oyster sauce.  Since I was not able to locate this sauce, I made my own - not the real way of course:) the cheater's way! Ready in 5mins. :D

Step 1:
Okonomiyaki Sauce ingredients:  2/3cup Worcestershire, 2tbsp sugar, 1tsp cornstarch and water.   In a small saucepan, over medium heat. add in Worcestershire sauce and sugar.  Allow to simmer until sugar dissolves.  In a separate bowl, add cornstarch and 1 tsp and a bit of cold water to dissolve cornstarch - make sure there are no clumps.  Once this mixture is ready, pour into saucepan and mix using a spatula until sauce thickens.  Once sauce thickens, turn off heat and transfer sauce into a clean bowl and set aside.

Okonomiyaki sauce 

Step 2:  Let's prepare the toppings for Okonomiyaki.  I used toppings I fancy and you do not need very much of each topping, just a tiny handful of each is enough.

Wash and dry 2-3 cups of shredded cabbage.
Shred 3 sticks of imitation crab meat.
Remove the ends of Shimeji mushrooms.
Dice a tiny handful of sweet pepper, approx. 1 finger size
Dice 3-4 slices of pickled ginger.

1 + 2 = imitation crab meat, 3 = pickled ginger, 4 = cabbage, ginger, shimeji mushrooms, sweet pepper, imitation crab

Set aside your ingredients.

Step 3:  Next, lets prepare the batter and grated yam.

Batter:
In a dry bowl, add in loosely 1/4 cup of AP flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder & 1 tsp of sugar. Mix.  Slowly add in a little less than 1/4 cup dashi stock or plain water to flour.  Whisking as your pour to prevent clumps.  Continue to whisk until flour is dissolved and the batter is smooth and has the consistency of a crepe batter.  Set aside.

Grated yam:
Chop 1 1/2 inch in length of white yam.  Wash thoroughly under cold water.  Cut off skin.  Using a grater, grate yam onto bowl/plate.  The consistency of grated yam should look like a gooey, slimy mass of ....... oh I shouldn't say. :P

Next, coat your flat pan with olive oil, turn heat to medium high.

In the bowl of bater, add in all your ingredients from Step 2 and mix.  Add 1-2 eggs (1 egg per person) and mix thoroughly.  Then lastly, add in the grated yam and mix thoroughly once more.

 By now, your pan should be ready.  To test, add one shredded cabbage, if it sizzles, pan is ready.  Pour all mixed ingredients into the pan and begin shaping into a circle.  Do not pat ingredients down.  Cover pan and cook for 5-7mins.

After cooking for 5-7mins on 1 side,   In order to do a perfect flip without ruining the Okonomiyaki, place your cutting board on top of the pan.  Be careful not to burn yourself!  Once you have a good steady grip on both the pan and the cutting board, FLIP upside down so the Okonomiyaki will now be on the cutting board.  Place pan back on stove and slide Okonomiyaki back into pan.  - Do this only if your Okonomiyaki is bigger than your spatula:)

Tadaa!!

Once you flipped the Okonomiyaki, poke a few slices in the middle.  Cover and cook for 5-7 mins. Cooking time depends on the size of your Okonomiyaki.  The middle should not be too gooey once cooked.  The last minute of cooking, brush on a coat of Okonomiyaki sauce on top.

Turn off heat and slide Okonomiyaki onto a serving plate.  This dish is typically topped with Japanese mayonnaise, shredded toasted nori and bonito flakes (known as Katsuobushi).  Japanese mayonnaise comes in a squeezable bottle with a red cap.  It's creamy and sweet with a tiny itsy bitsy tang in flavor and cannot be compared to the typical Miracle Whip.  Please go out and buy a bottle of this if it does not exist in your fridge.  Miracle whip will not do for this dish.

Decorate your Okonomiyaki with Japanese mayonnaise, shredded toasted nori & bonito flakes as your please

Close up of my Okonomiyaki :D :D 

Inside of my Okonomiyaki ;D :D 

My attempt of the Okonomiyaki was delicious.  I ate the whole thing.  Seriously!  Try this recipe out and let me know what you think of it!

Enjoy!

Hong Kong style Spam & Egg Macaroni Soup

Like Dim Sum, "Cha Chaan Teng" are highly popular in Hong Kong.  Translated to "Tea restaurant" which serves cheap, western influence food to the locals.  To cater to the fast pace, over worked individuals in HK, Cha Chaan Tengs were the ideal place, to go eat.  Order in one minute and eat the next, the bill handed to you even before you finish your last 3 bites.  If Guy Fieri were to step into any Cha Chaan Teng, you can be sure he'll be given the cold shoulder should he attempt to make a conversation with the waitresses or chefs.   The way of lifestyle in Hong Kong is pure efficiency.  No time to slow down.  It would be silly to stop and smile at the sun when you should be at the office making the company money.

While this sort of lifestyle is not easy to adapt to, Hong Kong food makes up for it.  Maybe because I am Hong Kongese but I truly think, canton food surpasses many others.  Its comfort food.  For the most part, there's nothing healthy about canton food!  Most noodle dishes are drenched in oil.  Every dish in every single chinese restaurant contains MSG (unless stated otherwise).  Soya sauce, oyster sauce are the #1 condiment which contains high sodium.  For heavens golly, my kind eat all types of intestines like its nothing. (let's clarify, intestines and me are not friends, trust me, I tried)  Even so, canton food makes me a happy individual.

Which brings me back to my original topic "Spam & Egg Macaroni Soup" Every time I eat at a Cha Chaan Teng here in Toronto, 9/10 times, I have their Ham & Egg macaroni soup.  This is an uberly cheap western style dish that steals my heart time after time.  There's nothing special about it.  Trust me.  Ham, fried egg over top a bowl of macaroni in chicken stock soup.  The best ones uses a milky broth.  Winner! Only problem, after a bowl of this, I'm like a baby latched only a water bottle quenching my thirst due to high amounts of MSG.

The last time I nursed a water bottle after a bowl of this was my first visit back to motherland 2.5 years ago.  My very first meal was at Mc.Donalds; a bowl of sausage and egg macaroni soup, hashbrown and a cup of the cantonese milk tea.  Oh happy kicking legs!! (I would have clapped as well, but they were busy feeding me :D)

ahhhhhh yummmmmmmmmms

So 2.5 years later, I finally decided to make my own.  Seriously! I really shouldn't deprived myself of such luxury!!

This may not be at all healthy considering I live and eat a pretty healthy lifestyle but every once in a while, you are allowed cheat meals!  This is mine. :) I'll try not to make a habit out of it though :D

Spam & Egg Macaroni Soup
To make the stock.  Simpy choose your favorite chicken stock, boxed, cubed, freshly made, whatever!  Add 3-4 cups of stock to pot.  Add a tiny slice of ginger, one finely grated garlic, salt & white pepper and green onion stalks.  Allow to simmer for 10-15mins.

Prepare the macaroni according to package.

Pan-fry slices of spam and one egg.

If you want to add veggies, pan fry a few stalks.  I used chinese broccoli.

Once all of the above is ready and cooked, reheat the chicken stock.  Once it begins to bubble, add 1/2 cup milk.  or alternatively, use soy milk! this is what makes your soup milky, and creamy. A perfect combo with macaroni :)  Turn off heat once it begins to bubble again.

In your eating bowl, add macaroni, spam, egg & vegetables.  Pour the soup stock over top. :)

Duoohhh.  I really should consider getting a new cam no?!! Sorry people.  The final picture truly deserves more than what you see.  Maybe I was sooo darn excited to eat this bowl rather than stay still for a few moments to snap a few proper, not so blurry shots.  Sign.  Anyhow, the picture may be disappointing but my tummy and my soul was a happy happy camper.

Enjoy!