Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki with Pork Belly

Steps

1. Step 1

   In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

   3 min

   • 1/4 cup ketchup
   • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
   • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
   • 1 tbsp sugar
2. Step 2

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. Pour in the cold dashi or water and whisk until smooth. Crack in the eggs and whisk again. The batter will be thin — that's right.

   5 min

   • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 tsp baking powder
   • 1/2 tsp salt
   • 1 cup dashi or water
   • 4 eggs
3. Step 3

   Shred the cabbage as finely as you can (thin ribbons, no thick chunks) and add it to the batter along with the scallions and pickled ginger. Fold with a spatula until every shred is coated. It will look like far too much cabbage for the batter; keep folding and it will come together.

   10 min

   • 1 small green cabbage (about 1 1/2 lb)
   • 4 scallions
   • 1/4 cup pickled red ginger (beni shoga)
4. Step 4

   Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Spoon in a quarter of the cabbage mixture and pat it into a round about 6 inches across and 1 inch thick. Repeat with a second round if your pan fits two. Lay 3 oz of pork belly slices flat over the top of each pancake, overlapping slightly.

   5 min

   • 6 oz thinly sliced pork belly
   • 1 tbsp neutral oil
5. Step 5

   Cook without pressing or moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and the edges look set. Slide a wide spatula underneath, flip in one confident motion, and press down gently just once to even it out. Cook 5 to 6 minutes more, until the pork is crisp and browned.

   12 min

6. Step 6

   Flip once more so the pork side faces up, cook 1 minute, then move to plates. Repeat with the remaining oil, cabbage mixture and pork belly to make 4 pancakes in all.

   14 min

   • 6 oz thinly sliced pork belly
   • 1 tbsp neutral oil
7. Step 7

   Brush each pancake generously with the sauce, then drizzle the Japanese mayonnaise over the top in thin zigzag lines (snip a corner off a sandwich bag if you don't have a squeeze bottle). Scatter with aonori and a big handful of bonito flakes, which will wave in the heat. Cut into wedges and eat right away.

   3 min

   • 1/3 cup Japanese mayonnaise (Kewpie)
   • 1 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
   • 1 tbsp aonori (dried green seaweed flakes)

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026