Okonomiyaki (Savory Japanese Pancake)

Ingredients

2 cups of all-purpose flour

*Yama-imo (which translates as a mountain yam)

1 egg

Finely chopped cabbage (about 1/4-1/3 of a head

Small dried shrimp (optional)

Vegetable oil (just a bit)

3-4 slices of bacon for each portion

Toppings

Mayonnaise

Okonomi-yaki sauce or worcestershire sauce

Bonito flakes (paper-thin fish flakes)

Preparation

Mix the flour, yama-imo (regardless of what form) and the egg with enough water to make a watery base.

Add enough cabbage and tiny dried shrimp (if using) and mix it in until the batter has the consistency of slightly watery oatmeal with cabbage in it.

If you have a large nonstick pan or cooktop, heat it up and rub some oil on it.

Pour about half the batter into your pan and spread it evenly across the surface of the pan.

Add 3-4 half-slices of bacon to the top of the okonomiyaki and gently push it down so the bacon sticks in the batter.

Let the batter cook until nearly cooked through—you can tell by looking at it.

Flip the okonomiyaki and let the side with the bacon cook—the bacon will cook, was well.

When you’re sure the batter is cooked through, transfer to a plate and put in a 200-degree oven while you cook the other one.

When done with them both, put them on the counter or your dinner table and quickly apply a zig-zag line of each the mayo and okonmiyaki sauce. Then sprinkle the bonito flakes (as much as you want) over the entire surface of the okonomiyaki. If you’ve done it quickly enough (it’s still really hot) the bonito flakes should waver back and forth from the heat.