Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki: A Symphony of Textures and Flavors
Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki: The Perfect Harmony of Three Delicious Components
Experience a delightful culinary creation where a crispy savory pancake meets vibrant, saucy yakisoba noodles and a perfectly fried egg. This Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is a flavor explosion that’s incredibly satisfying. While it requires a few more steps than a standard okonomiyaki, the result is a dish that’s truly worth the effort. We highly recommend trying this recipe!
Okonomiyaki & Yakisoba Ingredients- 1/2 cup Okonomiyaki flour (approx. 50g)
- 1/2 cup Water (approx. 100ml)
- 1/4 head Cabbage, thinly shredded
- Thinly sliced Pork Belly or Bacon, as desired
- Frozen Seafood Mix or Squid, as desired (pre-cleaned)
- 1 packet Instant Ramen noodles
- 2 Eggs
- A small bunch of Green Onions, finely chopped
- Tonkatsu sauce, to taste
- Mayonnaise, to taste
- Finely chopped Scallions or Parsley, for garnish
- Bonito flakes (Katsuobushi), as desired, for garnish
Yakisoba Sauce- 2 Tbsp Ketchup
- 1/2 Tbsp Ponzu sauce (Yuzu Ponzu recommended)
- 1 tsp Soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp Ketchup
- 1/2 Tbsp Ponzu sauce (Yuzu Ponzu recommended)
- 1 tsp Soy sauce
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thinly shred the cabbage, which is a key ingredient for the okonomiyaki. The thinner the shreds, the better the texture.
Step 2
Season the thinly sliced pork belly (or bacon) with a pinch of pepper. Prepare your seafood mix or squid by cleaning it beforehand.
Step 3
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup of okonomiyaki flour with 1/2 cup of water. Mix well until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. The batter should not be too watery.
Step 4
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the ramen noodles and cook them until they are slightly underdone (about 80% cooked). This prevents them from becoming too mushy later.
Step 5
Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in a wide pan. Drain the par-cooked ramen noodles and add them to the pan. Stir in the yakisoba sauce ingredients: 2 Tbsp ketchup, 1/2 Tbsp ponzu sauce, and 1 tsp soy sauce. Quickly toss and stir-fry the noodles until well combined. To prevent the noodles from getting soggy, either turn off the heat early or transfer them to a separate plate immediately.
Step 6
Now, in a clean pan, heat a good amount of cooking oil. Pour your prepared batter into the pan and spread it into a thin, wide circle. Generously pile the shredded cabbage on top, forming a nest-like shape. Arrange your seafood mix or squid over the cabbage, and add the chopped green onions for extra flavor and aroma. Finally, lightly brush some of the remaining batter over the fillings. This helps bind everything together and creates a thicker okonomiyaki.
Step 7
Layer the pepper-seasoned thin pork belly slices (or bacon) evenly over the top of the batter-covered fillings, covering them completely.
Step 8
Cook over medium heat, flipping the okonomiyaki occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and cooked through. Once perfectly cooked, carefully transfer the okonomiyaki to a plate.
Step 9
Using the same pan you used for the okonomiyaki, add a little cooking oil and crack in the 2 eggs. The key to a perfect fried egg for this dish is to break the yolk and mix it with the white before spreading it into a neat circle in the pan. This ensures it sits beautifully on top of the okonomiyaki.
Step 10
Place the prepared yakisoba noodles generously on top of the okonomiyaki on the plate.
Step 11
Carefully place the perfectly fried egg on top of the yakisoba noodles. Now, drizzle your desired amount of tonkatsu sauce and mayonnaise over everything in a zig-zag pattern for that signature flavor.
Step 12
Finally, sprinkle a generous amount of bonito flakes (katsuobushi) in the center and garnish with finely chopped scallions or parsley for a beautiful finish. Your delicious Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is now complete! Enjoy this amazing dish!
