Osaka's "grill what you like" cabbage pancake: crisp-edged, custardy-centered, painted with sauce and mayo under a blizzard of dancing bonito.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
2
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Large skillet
Chef's knife
Cutting board
Prep checklist
Cabbage — finely shredded
Dashi — or water + a pinch more salt
Bacon — or pork belly
Tonkatsu Sauce — okonomiyaki sauce's close cousin
Mayonnaise — Kewpie
3 steps
Method
1
Whisk flour, dashi, and eggs; fold in cabbage and scallions — barely bound shreds, not batter with cabbage.
Why this works
The ratio should alarm you: it's a cabbage pancake, not a pancake with cabbage.
2
Form a thick disc in an oiled pan over medium; lay bacon strips on top. Cook 5–6 minutes, flip with two spatulas and courage, 5–6 more.
11 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Paint with sauce, lattice with mayo, snow with bonito flakes (they dance in the heat), scatter pickled ginger.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Match the weight of the dish — ask the AI Chef for a specific bottle.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.