okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake which is made with egg based batter and shredded cabbage. It was invented in Osaka as a city famous for good food and cheap eats. The toppings may be anything from meat slices, bonito flakes. The simple pancake batter is made from flour, eggs and dashi (stock) and filled with cabbage and ingredients like pork belly, shrimp or corn. This vegan version of popular Japanese street food resembles besan chilla or the Indian vegan omelet. Basically, you can say this is the pizza of Japanese cuisine and toppings go as per your taste.
While okonomiyaki batter is made with plain flour, Indian one is made with chickpea flour. Here instead of making the batter with all purpose flour, we have used red lentil flour in this vegan recipe, so that it is richer in protein too. vegetarian cabbage pancakes and cabbage fritters are a great way to enjoy this humble veggie if you do not have time to make koftas.
Asian dishes are full of flavor whether it is Pad Thai or Korean bibimbap. I love the idea of a cabbage manchurian served with Tom yum fried rice or broccoli fried rice in lunch. If you love appetizers and otherwise find cabbage boring. Asian dishes give you a lot of dishes to crunch and munch. rice paper rolls, spring rolls and wontons are the best choice. Camouflage it as Manchurian or layer it as American chopsuey. Make a wonton soup when its cold or have it in veg fried rice or hakka noodles.
Equipment
- cast iron pan / skillet
- food processor optional
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
It required pretty basic ingredients, i like to use lentil flour like yellow lentil flour or red lentil flour. You can also use chickpea flour.
- Mix vegetables (carrot ,cabbage, onion, ginger)
- lentil flour
- water
- soup stock powder
- salt and black pepper as per taste
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- I like to grate the carrots and chopped cabbage very finely. You can slice or cube the onions as per your choice.
2. In a bowl mix lentil flour with water,soup stock,ginger,salt and pepper
3. Mix it using a whisk
4. Add the batter to chopped veggies.
5. Mix the veggies in the batter, do not leave this aside, start cooking immediately else it will become more watery and the veggies loose their crunch.
6. On a hot gridle, use a ladle to spread the batter, spread oil on the edges and little on the top.
7. Flip & cook until golden brown. Serve warm with a tonkatsu sauce
Related recipes
vegan okonomiyaki recipe
Equipment
- cast iron pan or any non stick pan
- large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup carrot grated or chopped
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 2 cup cabbage finely chopped
- 1.5 cup lentil flour red lentil flour or yellow lentil flour or chickpea flour
- 1.5 cup water
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 2 teaspoon soup stock powder optional
- salt and black pepper as per taste
- tonkatsu sauce for serving
- 4 tablespoon oil use 1 tablespoon oil per pancake
Instructions
- I like to grate the carrots and chopped cabbage very finely. Onion can be sliced or cubed.
- In a bowl mix lentil flour with water,soup stock,ginger,salt and pepper Mix it using a whisk.
- Add the batter to chopped veggies.Mix the veggies in the batter, do not leave this aside, start cooking immediately else it will become more watery and the veggies loose their crunch.
- On a hot gridle, use a ladle to spread the batter(around 1 cup batter per panckage), spread oil on the edges and little on the top. Flip & cook until golden brown.
- Serve warm with tonkatsu sauce
Notes
Substitutions & Variations
- Cabbage - instead of green cabbage, you can use napa cabbage.
- Use wheat flour instead of all purpose flour, if you do not have lentil flour in batter ingredients.
- You may use green onions instead of red onion.
- You may use just egg or vegan egg, flax seeds or chia seeds.
- Deluxe - add shiitake mushrooms, spring onions and even silken tofu if you like it.
FAQ
It means (okono) as you like, (yaki)grilled.
Osaka style and Hiroshima style. In Kansai or okonomiyaki Kyoto style, the we add ingredients to batter and then grill the pancake. However, in Hiroshima okonomiyaki style, we grill the crepe-like pancake first. and then add other ingredients as a layer on top.
Katsu sauce or Tonkatsu sauce is made of carrots, onions, apple sauce and Kikkoman® Soy Sauce. You can use this instead of okonomiyaki sauce.
it is made with fruits and vegetables, sugar, and vinegar, kelp, soy sauce, and shiitake mushrooms.Always check the ingredients to see what goes in the sauce, as there may be non-vegan versions too available in the market.
Conclusion: Vegan okonomiyaki is a versatile dish for an easy breakfast. This savoury pancake will win your heart with its simplicity and flavor every time you eat it.
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