Okonomiyaki

Japanese pancakes - called okonomiyaki - are savory bites served topped with a bevy of sauces, condiments, and flavor & texture heaven. And this time of the year, I delight in adding everything from some diced tomatoes to seared hot peppers to the mix too! Even sautéed corn will work. Besides, who doesn't like pancakes?

I like combining all purpose flour and cornstarch to give the pancakes a lighter, airier texture. If you don't have cornstarch on hand, you can substitute an equal measure of flour. You can also use water instead of broth, but I like the extra flavor the broth gives to the pancakes. I use green cabbage in my okonomiyaki - purple also works, but it tends to turn blue when cooked and I like the look of the green cabbage better. That said, thinly sliced purple cabbage is absolutely beautiful as a topping for these savory pancakes.

Sometimes I like to serve vegetable summer rolls with this dish or just a nice cucumber salad tossed with chopped onion, sesame seeds, toasted sesame oil, and some rice vinegar. Keep sides simple, as these pancakes topped to perfection is where the focus of this meal is sure to be. Enjoy!