Okononomiyaki, Kansai/ Osaka Style
Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a Japanese savoury pancake containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning “what you like” or “what you want”, and yaki meaning “grilled” or “cooked”. Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with Kansai or Hiroshima areas of Japan, but is widely available throughout the country. Toppings and batters tend to vary according to region.
Kansai/Osaka area
Kansai (Osaka)-style okonomiyaki is the predominant style of the dish, found throughout most of Japan. The batter is made of flour, grated yam, water or dashi, eggs and shredded cabbage, and usually contains other ingredients such as green onion, meat (generally pork or bacon), octopus, squid, shrimp, vegetables, kimchi, mochi or cheese.
In Osaka (the largest city in the Kansai region), where this dish is said to have originated, okonomiyaki is prepared much like a pancake. The batter and other ingredients are fried on both sides on either a hot plate (teppan) or a pan using metal spatulas that are later used to slice the dish when it has finished cooking. Cooked okonomiyaki is topped with ingredients that include okonomiyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce but thicker and sweeter), aonori (seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (fish flakes), Japanese mayonnaise and pickled ginger (beni shoga).
Okonomiyaki/Hiroshima style
Hiroshima area
In Hiroshima, the ingredients are layered rather than mixed together. The layers are typically batter, cabbage, pork, and optional items such as squid, octopus, and cheese. Noodles (yakisoba, udon) are also used as a topping with fried egg and a generous amount of okonomiyaki sauce. The amount of cabbage used is usually 3 to 4 times the amount used in the more common Osaka style. It starts out piled very high and is pushed down as the cabbage cooks. The order of the layers may vary slightly depending on the chef’s style and preference, and ingredients will vary depending on the preference of the customer. People from Hiroshima claim that this is the correct way to make okonomiyaki. This style is also called Hiroshima-yaki or Hiroshima-okonomi.
Other areas
In Tokyo, Tsukishima town is popular for both Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki. Monjayaki is a liquid, runny variant of okonomiyaki. The main street of this town is called Monja Street.
In Hamamatsu City (Shizuoka Prefecture), takuan (pickled daikon) is mixed in okonomiyaki.
In Okinawa, okonomiyaki is called hirayachi (ヒラヤーチー) and is thinner than in other areas. People cook it at home, so there are no hirayachi restaurants in Okinawa, although okonomiyaki restaurants can be found in a few places.
Don’t worry, Friedzen, I’m coming up with a recipe soon!
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日本語のブログ
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Tags: お好み焼き, グルメ, 美食, 静岡, Gastronomy, Gourmet, Japan, Japanese Cuisine, Okonomiyaki, Shizuoka, 日本, 日本料理
February 29, 2012 at 11:18 am |
[...] As its name suggests, okonomiyaki can be prepared with practically everything. At first it looks and tastes as if the ingredients were chosen randomly. In reality, in spite of many different okonomiyaki versions, there are certain recurring items such as a thick pancake batter, shredded or cubed cabbage or grated mountain yam (yamaimo). There are also two main okonomiyaki styles: Kansai (Osaka) and Hiroshima style. Both are very well described and accompanied by detailed recipes on Shizuoka Gourmet blog. [...]
February 29, 2012 at 12:41 pm |
Thanks for the update!
August 3, 2009 at 12:53 am |
What is Japanese Mayonnaise like? How is it different from the western variety?
August 3, 2009 at 11:56 am |
Japanese mayonnaise comes all prepared. It’s a bit sweet to my taste.
I sometimes mix it with whisky and curry powder!
August 3, 2009 at 12:46 am |
[...] via Okonomiyaki: The styles « SHIZUOKA GOURMET. [...]
August 3, 2009 at 11:55 am |
Cheers, mate!
Thank for introducing the article!
August 2, 2009 at 2:39 pm |
can I find a decent okonomiyaki in NYC? Where?
August 2, 2009 at 5:19 pm |
Warren: Here is a list of NYC restaurants that server Okonomiyaki – I can’t comment on the quality at each, but everyone raves about Otafuku…
http://okonomiyakiworld.com/Okonomiyaki-Restaurants.html
August 3, 2009 at 11:54 am
Dear Yakity!
Thank you so much for the information!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 3, 2009 at 11:52 am |
Dear Warren!
Okonomi-Yakity just sent:
http://okonomiyakiworld.com/Okonomiyaki-Restaurants.html
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 2, 2009 at 2:02 am |
Hello Robert. This is just amazing. I am going to try this for sure. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
August 2, 2009 at 12:49 pm |
Always glad toplease you, my firend!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 1, 2009 at 5:15 pm |
I’ve always wanted to try this. I’m not sure if they have it in my local japantown, maybe I’m not looking hard enough. LOL. But they looks so good.
August 1, 2009 at 11:43 pm |
Dear Jenn!
Greetings!
I will come with a couple ofsample recipes soon. You’ll be able to make them yourself!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 1, 2009 at 3:23 pm |
Thanks so much for this post! I can’t wait for the recipe! I used to live in Kyoto and okonomiyaki is almost impossible to find in the U.S. I tried one recipe I found online and it wasn’t too great.
August 1, 2009 at 11:45 pm |
Dear Tom!
Greetings!
I will come up soon with a couple of recipes of different skill!
I’m sure you will be able to reproduce them!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 1, 2009 at 2:16 pm |
Dear Robert,
That was a nice one. What a scrumptious looking okonomiyaki ! Haha I wished I could make one that scrumptious :p
Regards,
Elin
August 1, 2009 at 11:46 pm |
Dear Elin!
Greetings!
Wait until i come up with the recipes!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 1, 2009 at 11:26 am |
Never noticed the differences! hahaha Ill begin noticing now.
August 1, 2009 at 11:47 pm |
Dear Marya!
Greetings!
In Shizuoka, it7s basically Osaka style, although we have a style in Hamamatsu!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
August 1, 2009 at 6:58 am |
I love Okonomiyaki! The good ones I’ve tasted before was in a Okonomiyaki restaurant in Chiba, Japan. We even got to cook it ourselves. Couldn’t get anything as good when I was residing in Kuala Lumpur. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to recipe postings from you!
August 1, 2009 at 11:49 pm |
Dear Margie!
Greetings!
Chiba is famous for its big veg production. It7s only natural they make okonomiyaki with all that available cabbage!
recipes coming soon!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles