Seafood Okonomiyaki

Majority of people, when asked about Japanese cuisine, they think of three things - Sushi, Ramen, and Teppanyaki. But I have three different things in my mind - Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, and Korroke. Japanese food has been analogous with sophistication and artful and meticulous presentation, that sometimes we forget that Japanese street food or any low-key local food can be as equally enjoyable and appetizing. You get to experience and taste the real flavor of the locals.  Moreover, it tells a lot more about a region's agriculture, geography, culture, tradition, and history.

When talking about food, I believe that, in order for you to enjoy high-end cuisines or what they call fine dining, one must enjoy, experience, and understand what the locals cook and eat.

Going back to Okonomiyaki - I had my first taste of this savory pancake 10 years ago (others call it pizza, but I believe it's more of a pancake), not in a fancy Japanese restaurant or sushi bars, but in a humble Japanese novelty and comic store owned by a Filipina who married a Japanese businessman. It was summer, and was really really hot, so we decided to go nearby the old Makati Cinema Square to cool off. Nothing really special with the mall, in fact it was really old, most stalls are occupied by pirated vcd vendors (yeah, vcds at those times, what a shame, I know). We passed by this Japanese store, and coincidentally, that time, I was a Ringu Trilogy Fan (The Japanese Horror Film "Ring" which was later adapted into a Hollywood film), so insisted that we enter the store and look for the Ringu Comic book I've been scouting for months. And there, as we entered the store, at the center aisle, everything got blurry, my  nose followed that seafoody smell unto the tepan grill. The Pinay owner was grilling some Osaka style Okonomiyaki. We ordered one Seafood Okonomiyaki and some Takoyaki too. There, we had our first Tako/Okono moment. The most authentic okonomiyaki and takoyaki we ever had.

Since then I can't get enough of it. We would go there almost everyday and tryout different types of okonomiyaki. But after a year, the Pinay owner had to close down her store and move to Japan. She taught and gave me a few tips on how to make a flavorful Okonomiyaki.

From then on, I have been cooking Okonomiyaki for 10 years.  Okono literally means "to ones liking". Though for 10 years of cooking this favorite dish of mine (second fave to be specific, I love takoyaki the most), I can never claim I have perfected it. But in some way, through the years, I have improved or polished Okonomiyaki as to "my own ideal" liking - chunky, with lots of seafood and vegetable fillings, minus the pork and beef, perfectly cooked from the outside, while a little soft, moist, and squishy on the inside. Topped with a generous amount of Bulldog sauce and Japanese Mayonaisse. Sprinkled with katsuobushi, and aonori. I usually add some furikake and toragashi for added spice and flavor. Ahh that is just purrrfect. And I never get tired of eating it....

There are a lot of ways on how to cook this Japanese Pancake. Today I'll be sharing you my own version.




Ingredients

For the Batter and Filling

3/4 cup small boiled shrimps3/4 cup sliced kani sticks3/4 cup boiledcalamari rings or sliced boiled octopus when available3 cups all purpose flour2 cups dashi soup stock or water*4-6 eggs150 gms of grated nagaimo or yam, or equivalent amount of reconstituted1 lb cabbage, chopped2-3 tbsp sliced benishoga or pickled ginger6 tbsps chopped green onions1 large white onion, chopped2 tbsp sakura ebi powder (optional)2/3 cup tenkasu (tempura flakes)**


For toppings

Ao-nori (green seaweed)Furikake (rice toppings)Toragashi (red pepper mix)Okonomiyaki sauce (or Bulldog tonkatsu sauce)Mayonnaise (Kewpie)
Note:
*  There are prepared dashi stock powder. You can just dilute it in same amount of water.Or you can make one too.
*   If you prefer a more filling Okonomiyaki with more contrasting textures, you may wanna try cooking it the Hiroshima way. Just layer the ingredients then add yakisoba).
**  You can buy your tenkasu in Japanese groceries or you can drain and save the deep fried tempura batter tidbits. Now you have your tenkasu. If you don't have available tenkasu. You can make your own by drizzling batter over oil and draining them.



Let's Begin

Prepare the ingredients. Grate the yam, drain and set aside. Slice all the ingredients and place everything in a big large plate. Set aside.


Prepare the batter. Mix the flour and dashi stock, add one egg at the time, and leave one for the final mix. Add some springs onions and pickled ginger in the batter, then add the last egg. Crumble the tenkasu then add to the rest of the batter. You may sprinkle some furukake and katsuobushi. Adjust the batter, it should be a little loose.You may cook the okonomiyaki in two ways - You may add everything on the batter and scoop a generous amount unto the pan (The Osaka style), or you may pour the batter over the pan then top it with all the ingredients then pour another batter, drizzle with sauce then flip the pancake (The Hiroshima style, minus the yakisoba).Brush a thin layer of oil into the pan then cook your okonomiyaki in whichever way you prefer. Remember to cook the each side for 5 minutes. I prefer a little soft texture on the inside. Drizzle the pancake with a generous amount of okonomiyaki or tonkatsu sauce, some Kewpie mayonnaise, and sprinkle bonito flakes/katsuobushi, aonori and other spices of your choice. I usually add furukake and toragashi. It is best eaten while hot (watch the dancing bonito flakes!) For the Pinoy foodies around the metro, you can actually order and experience more varieties of Okonomiyaki at Little Tokyo besides Makati Cinema Square (Check out the old post here). Little Tokyo is a small compound of authentic Japanese restaurants. Each restaurant has their own specialties - Yakiniku, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Sushi, Ramen.  I bet they must be serving authentic and really great, since 90% of the customers here are mostly Japanese.