Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients in a wheat-flour-based batter. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning “how you like” or “what you like”, and yaki meaning “cooked” (usually fried). The batter is made of flour, grated nagaimo, water or dashi, eggs and shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as shrimps, meat or different kind of vegetables. My version of Okonomoyaki doesn’t contain batter, but pure red cabbage. The truth is the the taste is very similar to the original dish as I use the same sauces and Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie).
Red cabbage pillow with topping (or my way of Okonomiyaki)
Ingredients:
1 red cabbage
2 tbsp olive oil
250 g minced beef meat
Few broccoli florets
50 g Parmesan cheese, grated
50 ml water
Salt
1 tbsp butter
Mayonnaise and Okonomi sauce for serving
Cooking method:
Step 6 – just before putting in the oven
Slice the cabbage to make 4 circles. Leave the cabbage stalk for soup or ragout.
Add some olive oil on the baking tray, put the cabbage circles and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes in 200 C.
Meanwhile to prepare the topping put some oil and butter in the frying pan. Add minced beef and 50 ml of water. Mix well till the meat changes the color.
Add broccoli florets to the pan and cover it with a lid. Simmer for 7 minutes.
Remove the lid and add the cheese (to make the sauce creamy use the powdered cheese). Let it cook for few minutes without the lid. The sauce is READY. THIS SAUCE IS PERFECT TO ANY PASTA❤️.
Take the baking tray with cabbage out of the oven, top it with prepared meat sauce, sprinkle with some cheese and bake for about 5 minutes or unless cheese is melted.
To serve I drizzle the dish with some okonomi sauce, Japanese mayo and sesame seeds.