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ivan orkins savory pancakes (okonomiyaki)

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Ivan Orkin's Savory Pancakes (Okonomiyaki)

If you're familiar with okonomiyaki, chances are you know it as a clean-out-the-fridge-franken-pancake stuffed with cabbage and a multitude of other ingredients, such as onion, scallions, pork belly or bacon, seafood, fish cakes, udon, mochi (rice cakes), and/or basically anything else you can think of.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (plus an additional 2 tablespoons if making a vegetarian version)
  • 2 1/4 cups tightly packed shredded green cabbage
  • 11 ounces thinly sliced pork belly or uncured bacon
  • Garnishes
  • Kewpie mayonnaise
  • Bull-Dog tonkatsu sauce
  • Aonori (powdered dried green seaweed)
  • Chopped scallions
  • Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Directions

  • Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the egg and 1 tablespoon oil together with 3/4 cup water in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix briefly until most of the lumps of dry flour are gone. Fold in the shredded cabbage.
  • Set a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and lay 3 strips of pork belly or bacon next to each other in it. Once the pork begins to sizzle, let it cook for 2 minutes to render some of the fat. Spoon half the batter on top and spread into a 1/2-inch-thick layer. (If you're making a vegetarian version, coat the pan with a tablespoon of vegetable oil before adding the batter.)
  • Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, then sneak a peek underneath. Once the bottom is crisp and brown, give the pancake a flip with a spatula. Do it confidently and quickly to avoid making a mess. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, until the okonomiyaki is golden brown on both sides. The inside should be cooked through, but it's fine if it's still a bit moist—the cabbage will give up a fair amount of water.
  • Slide the okonomiyaki onto a plate and top freely with squiggles of Kewpie mayo and Bull-Dog sauce. Sprinkle with aonori, scallions, and a big handful of katsuobushi (unless you've made a vegetarian version). Serve immediately, then use the remaining pork and batter to make and serve the second okonomiyaki.

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