Recently I’ve been playing around with her Okonomiyai (cabbage pancakes). I used the bok choy from a few weeks ago in that recipe. Traditionally it would be made with green cabbage, but you know, the bok choy worked perfectly. And I realized this recipe could be adapted to any green or vegetable like sweet potatoes or daikon or mustard greens or kale. You make an eggy, loose pancake batter, then you fill it with whatever vegetables you like. I enjoyed these for dinner but they were just as delicious for breakfast the next day. Here’s the basic recipe.
Her note: Adapted from a recipe on Food52, these pancakes are simple to throw together and make delicious use of an abundance of cabbage. I use 4 times the amount of cabbage called for in the original recipe (8 cups as opposed to 2), and I omit the shrimp, though I imagine the addition of shrimp would be very tasty. I like these with a soy dipping sauce (as opposed to a mayonnaise-based one). The one below is one I’ve been using for years, but feel free to use your own.
Ingredients:
For the pancakes: 5 eggs 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more for seasoning 1/3 cup flour 8 cups finely shredded cabbage 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped, to yield about a heaping cup For the soy dipping sauce: 1/4 cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons mirin 1 teaspoon hot chili sauce or Sriracha, optional 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon sugar Canola, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for frying
Preparation:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk eggs with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and salt.. Gradually add the flour until incorporated. Fold in cabbage and scallions..
Make the sauce: combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
In a large sauté pan, warm a couple tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until glistening. Pinch batter with hands and carefully drop the mounds into the oil—in a large skillet, you should be able to fry 4 at a time. Lower the heat to medium. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and season lightly with salt. Serve with soy-dipping sauce.