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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Reblogged this on mamabatesmotel.
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Very nice looking okonomiyaksi! One of my top 10 favorite dishes. I think I’m more of Hiroshima style kind person but I enjoy others too.
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The same here! Thanks for commenting!
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Thanks for the update!
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What is Japanese Mayonnaise like? How is it different from the western variety?
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Japanese mayonnaise comes all prepared. It’s a bit sweet to my taste.
I sometimes mix it with whisky and curry powder!
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Cheers, mate!
Thank for introducing the article!
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can I find a decent okonomiyaki in NYC? Where?
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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
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Dear Yakity!
Thank you so much for the information!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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Dear Warren!
Okonomi-Yakity just sent:
http://okonomiyakiworld.com/Okonomiyaki-Restaurants.html
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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Hello Robert. This is just amazing. I am going to try this for sure. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
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Always glad toplease you, my firend!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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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.
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Dear Jenn!
Greetings!
I will come with a couple ofsample recipes soon. You’ll be able to make them yourself!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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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.
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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
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Dear Robert,
That was a nice one. What a scrumptious looking okonomiyaki ! Haha I wished I could make one that scrumptious :p
Regards,
Elin
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Dear Elin!
Greetings!
Wait until i come up with the recipes!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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Never noticed the differences! hahaha Ill begin noticing now.
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Dear Marya!
Greetings!
In Shizuoka, it7s basically Osaka style, although we have a style in Hamamatsu!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles
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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!
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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
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