Okonomiyake

Okonomiyaki is sometimes called the Japanese version of pizza. Presumably by people who've never eaten pizza. Okonomiyaki bears no resemblance to pizza in my mind, but what it is, is a rib-sticking, satisfying, calorific fast food that you can make in a jiffy, using a few staples and whatever's lurking in the back of the fridge. Essentially, it's a savoury pancake, packed with leftover vegetables and any scraps of meat you've got hanging around.

Recipe

• 1/3 cup flour
• 2 tbsp tempura crumbs (crumbs of deep fried batter, sold in Asian shops. I tend to substitute panko as easier to find, although texturally different)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp grated potato or yam (about 1/3 small)
• small handful shredded leafy vegetables (cabbage or spinach, etc. Use what you have in the fridge)
• 3-4 tbsp of fillings of your choice (shredded mangetout, finely sliced spring onions, julienned carrot or mooli, japanese pickled radish, small prawns, etc. Again, use whatever you have hanging around)
• 1 egg
• 1/4-1/2 cup dashi (or other stock of your choice)
• 1/2 tsp oil
• 1-2 slices bacon (optional)

To serve:

• mayonnaise (Japanese ideal, but you can use any mayo you like, including ultra low-fat)
• okonomiyaki sauce (see below)
• toppings of your choice to add flavour and texture (shredded nori, bonito flakes and sliced spring onions are traditional; you could also try chili flakes and fried shallots)

Method:
In a bowl mix the dry ingredients and filling ingredients. Add the egg and dashi or stock and mix quickly until you have a very thick, batter binding all your vegetables.

Heat the oil in a flat bottomed frypan or skillet over medium heat, and when hot dump all the mixture in there, spreading it across the base of the pan with your spoon to make a thick pancake. Cook about 5 minutes, checking to ensure it isn't burning (you don't want the heat too high, or the outside will char before the inside is cooked).

When  the bottom is crisp and golden, lay the bacon in a single layer over the top (uncooked side) of the pancake. Using a large spatula, flip the entire thing so the bacon is now on the bottom. Leave to cook for another 4 minutes. Check it looks done (the bacon should be rendered and starting to crisp, and the pancake underneath look cooked.

Transfer to a plate (I like to flip it again when I transfer it, so the bacon side faces up). Cover the top with a generous drizzle of both mayo and sauce, and sprinkle with nori, bonito and spring onions (or whatever toppings you choose).

Eat right away, with a nice cold beer alongside.

For a veggie version, just skip the bacon, bonito and use vegetable stock in place of the dashi.

Okonomiyaki sauce
You can buy this in Asian supermarkets, or make your own. The dominant flavour comes from Worcestershire sauce, so Tonkatsu sauce or good old HP sauce (aka brown sauce) aren't bad substitutes if you're in a hurry. A quick way to adapt HP sauce into something slightly closer to Okonomiyaki sauce is to mix:

• 1 tbsp HP sauce
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/6 tsp soy sauce or mushroom essence
• 1 tsp water

Makes: 1 large pancake. Serves 1 for a filling meal, 2-3 for a snack
Preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes