This Japanese Savory Cabbage Pancake is often topped with bacon, fish, vegetables and even cheese. It is usually served family style where everyone tears a piece off the pancake and dips it in Okomi sauce or Kewpie mayonnaise. The pancake is easy to make from staples in your pantry, and of course cabbage. I like it as an appetizer served with a small dish of the Okomi Sauce.
Tip : When I made this dish I left the bacon in slices on the top of the pancake. This made it difficult to cut nice neat wedges. I think that it would be better to remove the crispy bacon, chop into fine dice and return to the top of the pancake. This way everyone gets bacon with every bite, and the pancake will be easier to cut. The mayonnaise and the okomi sauce are the secret ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tspn sugar
- 1 tspn baking powder
- kosher salt
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups finely chopped or coarsely grated cabbage
- 1 tbsp canola oil for frying
- 6 slices bacon
Toppings
- Kewpie mayonnaise Japanese mayonnaise
- Okomi sauce equal parts soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and ketchup
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Cut a medium head of cabbage in half and coarsely grate enough to make 2 cups.
- In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Whisk in the water, eggs and stir to combine. Transfer to your refrigerator and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Sauces
- While the batter is resting, combine equal amounts of ketchup, Worcestershire and soy sauce in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Frying
- After 30 minutes, remove the batter and add the cabbage to the mixture. Stir to combine.
- Heat canola oil in an 8" skillet over medium high heat and add cabbage mixture when the oil is hot.
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom begins to brown a little. The pancake will rise and the edge will begin to separate from the pan. Shake the pan occasionally to loosen the pancake.
- Remove the pancake to a plate, and add bacon strips to the pan. Cut the bacon strips to fit if you have to.
- Return the pancake, cooked side up, placed on top of the bacon, and cook for another 4-6 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the pancake is golden on the bottom.
Serving
- Turn out pancake, bacon side up, on a plate. Remove the bacon and cut into fine dice and return to the top of the pancake.
- Drizzle the pancake first with the okomi sauce and then with ribbons of Kewpie mayonnaise
