Okonomiyaki

Similar to an omelet or a pancake, okonomiyaki is an immensely popular Japanese dish. The batter is made with eggs, flour, water, grated yam, and shredded cabbage. Additional ingredients such as fish, seafood, meat, vegetables or cheese are also occasionally added to the mix. The batter is then pan-fried, similar to a pancake, and finally garnished with condiments such as Japanese mayonnaise, pickled ginger, fish or seaweed flakes, and topped with a sauce similar to the thick Worcestershire sauce. The dish is eaten everywhere in Japan, but it is usually associated with the Kansai region. Although there are certain disagreements about whether okonomiyaki was developed in Osaka or Tokyo, there is no doubt that Osaka popularized this unusual dish and made it an irreplaceable part of Japanese cuisine. The style and the ingredients of okonomiyaki also depend on the region, the two most prominent varieties are the Osaka and Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. The Osaka type, also referred to as Kansai, is considered to be the traditional and more popular variety, where the condiments are usually mixed and placed on top of the pancake. The Hiroshima variety often includes yakisoba noodles, larger amounts of cabbage, and the garnishes are typically layered on top of the pancake. Japanese restaurants typically offer two choices - prepare the dish yourself or order the already cooked okonomiyaki.