How to Make It
Batter
In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the soy sauce and water until smooth and lump-free — the batter should be thin, closer to a crepe batter than a pancake batter.
Add the Mix-Ins
Stir in the egg first, then the shredded cabbage, green onion, panko, and pickled ginger until everything is evenly combined.
The batter will look very cabbage-heavy at this point — that’s exactly right. Don’t be tempted to add more batter; the cabbage softens and compresses as it cooks.
Add Bacon and Cook
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in the batter and spread it into an even round, then immediately lay the bacon strips across the top.
Cook undisturbed for about 4–5 minutes over medium heat, until the edges look set and the bottom is golden brown — you can lift the edge slightly with a spatula to check.
Flip and Finish
Flip carefully in one confident motion, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for another 6–8 minutes until the bacon is crispy and cooked through. The center should be just set and still soft and tender.
Spread okonomi sauce on top during the last minute of cooking if you want it to caramelize slightly, or add it after for a fresher flavor.
Top and Serve
Remove from the pan. Spread additional Okonomi sauce and mayonnaise if desired. Sprinkle generously with bonito flakes and chopped green onion before serving.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ⅓ cup water
- ½ tsp soy sauce or oyster sauce as a substitute for dashi powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup green cabbage coarsely shredded
- ¼ cup green onion finely chopped
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs as a substitute for Tenkasu
- 1 Tbsp red pickled ginger Beni-Shoga
- Bacon
- Bonito flakes Katsuobushi
- Green onion
- Okonomi sauce
- Kewpie mayonnaise optional
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, soy sauce, and water into a smooth batter.
- Fold in shredded cabbage, green onion, panko, pickled ginger, and egg.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high, pour in the batter, lay bacon strips on top, and cook undisturbed until the edges are golden. Flip carefully to crisp the bacon and cook through.
- Remove from the pan and finish with okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, bonito flakes, and green onion.
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