Okonomiyaki with Camembert

Ingredients

• 8¾ ozcabbagevery finely shredded or coarsely chopped
• 3½ ozwheat flourfor the batter
• 2Eggfor the batter
• ⅔ cupWaterto mix the batter, fish stock as an alternative
• 1 tspDashi powderdissolved in the batter
• 3½ ozPorklaid out side by side on or under the batter; bacon works too
• 1camembertplaced whole in the centre, melts inside the pancake (optional)
• 3½ ozchinese yam (nagaimo)finely grated, makes the batter fluffy (optional)
• 1 tbspoilfor frying, sesame oil optional
• okonomiyaki saucefor brushing on top; tonkatsu or Japanese worcestershire sauce as substitute
• MayonnaiseJapanese style, piped on in stripes
• bonito flakesfor sprinkling on top
• Nori sheetsfor sprinkling on top (aonori)
• ⅔ ozpickled red gingermixed into the batter or served alongside
• 2Spring onionfinely sliced, into the batter or on top (optional)
• Saltfor the batter

Method

1. Cut the core out of the white cabbage and shred it very finely or chop it coarsely. Cut the pork belly into wide pieces, slice the spring onions into fine rings and have the pickled red ginger ready.
2. Whisk the eggs with the water or fish stock, dissolve the instant dashi powder in it, then stir in the flour and salt until the batter is smooth.
3. Stir in the finely grated chinese yam — it makes the batter light and fluffy.
4. Fold the cabbage into the batter along with the red ginger and spring onions, until everything is evenly coated.
5. Heat the oil in a pan and lay the pork belly slices out side by side. Set the camembert whole in the centre.
6. Spread the batter over the top as a round pancake about 2 to 3 cm thick, covering the meat and the cheese.
7. Fry covered over low to medium heat until the underside is well browned. Turn it out onto a plate or use a second pan to flip it, then keep frying until cooked through.
8. Slide the okonomiyaki onto a plate, brush it with okonomiyaki sauce and pipe the mayonnaise over it in a criss-cross pattern.
9. Scatter with nori seaweed flakes and bonito flakes and serve straight away, with a bowl of rice alongside.

Tips and variations

Crushed mung bean sprouts can take the place of the cabbage as the main bulk, and carrot can go into the batter as well; for an especially airy batter, purée silken tofu with egg and dashi. Prawns or diced fish work instead of pork belly, and the same amount of batter can be fried as several small pancakes kept warm in the oven. You can mix the sauce yourself from ketchup, worcestershire sauce and soy sauce — brushed on several times it caramelises in the pan. Fried onions make a good topping, and if you cook it on a hot griddle, eat it straight off the griddle with a Japanese spatula.