Best Somen Okonomiyaki Recipes

SOMEN OKONOMIYAKI

Steps:

• Break somen noodles in half prior to cooking.
• Cook according to directions and strain, but DO NOT rinse in water.
• Seperate the somen into 2 stacks
• Heat oil in 10 inch frying pan on medium heat.
• Place 1 stack of somen in pan, arrange in to a circle and flatten with spatula.
• Top with bacon, shrimp, basil, scallion, cabbage, and second stack of somen.
• Pour on egg mixture.
• Flatten and shape with spatula.
• Cook until browned on one side, then flip and brown on other side, reshaping as needed.
• Plate and drizzle with Worcestershire sauce.
• Top with mayonnaise, nori, and ginger.
• ***A simple salad of arugula, shredded carrot and cabbage, sliced cucumber, and diced yellow pepper drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette and topped with julienned nori makes a great accompaniment.

JAPANESE COLD SOMEN NOODLES

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Prepare the toppings and place in separate serving bowls. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, add the mirin to a medium saucepan over low heat and cook until just heated through, about 30 seconds.
• Raise the heat to high, add the soy sauce and dashi soup stock . Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat and cool completely, at least 20 minutes. Refrigerate if not using right away.
• Meanwhile, make the somen noodles. Add the dried somen noodles to the large pot of boiling water, gently stirring until the noodles are al dente, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.
• Drain the somen in a colander and cool under running water or in an ice bath.
• Continue to wash the noodles, tossing with your hands until completely cold. Drain well.
• Serve the drained cold somen in a large serving bowl or divided between individual bowls with the dipping sauces in individual small bowls and toppings on the side.

OKONOMIYAKI

Steps:

• Whisk together the eggs, dashi and salt in a large bowl. Add the flour, potato starch and baking powder and whisk until just incorporated -- avoid overmixing; some lumps are okay. Add the cabbage and scallions and gently fold into the batter.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Spoon in about 1/2 cup of the batter. Use a spatula to very lightly pat down the surface and to form a round about 3 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Repeat until the skillet is full, but not overcrowded.
• Top each round with 2 pieces of pork belly, overlapping them slightly. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the rounds over, keeping the pork belly in place as much as possible and reducing the heat slightly if the pork belly browns too quickly, and cook until the pork belly has rendered its fat and the okonomiyaki are cooked through and golden brown, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to plates and repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, batter and pork belly, leaving behind any liquid that's settled at the bottom of the batter. (If your pork is very fatty, you might not need to add more oil to the skillet.)
• Serve hot, pork-side-up. Drizzle with okonomi sauce and mayonnaise in zigzag lines, then sprinkle with beni shoga, aonori and/or katsuobushi (if using).
• Combine the kombu and 3 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and let sit for about 30 minutes. (You can skip this step if you're short on time, but it does lend a little extra flavor.) Heat over medium heat until the water comes to a near boil, but doesn't actually boil, about 5 minutes. Discard the kombu.
• Add the katsuobushi evenly over the water, bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately remove from the heat. Let steep for about 10 minutes without stirring.
• Pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or quart-size measuring cup. Do not press down on the katsuobushi, which can make the dashi cloudy and/or bitter.
• Dashi is best used the day it is made but can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Makes about 2 1/2 cups

OKONOMIYAKI

Steps:

• Heat a small (about 20cm) non-stick frying pan, add the bacon and cook over a medium-high heat for a few mins until cooked through. Remove the bacon from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside. Once cool, cut into pieces.
• Whisk the egg, flour and 4 tbsp water to make a batter, season and stir in the cabbage, half the spring onions, the prawns and the cooked bacon. Pour the oil into the pan, add the mixture and press down, then cook for 5 mins on a medium heat. Flip with a spatula, then cook for another 5 mins until golden and cooked through. Slide onto a plate and drizzle over the brown sauce and mayonnaise. Finally, scatter with the remaining spring onions.

CLASSIC OKONOMIYAKI (JAPANESE CABBAGE AND PORK PANCAKES)

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine hondashi with 1 cup water and whisk until dissolved. Whisk in eggs until well combined. Add flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda and whisk until smooth. Fold in cabbage, scallions and ginger until well incorporated.
• In an 8-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add half the batter, spreading cabbage mixture into an even 6-inch round about 1-inch thick (resist the urge to push down on the mixture). Arrange half the pork belly over the cabbage, slightly overlapping. Cook over medium-low until pancake is set and golden brown underneath, 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low and carefully flip pancake by inverting onto a plate then slipping back into the skillet.
• Cook until golden brown on second side, pancake is cooked through in center and pork is lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Transfer pancake, pork side up, onto a large plate. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil, batter and pork belly.
• Drizzle pancakes with okonomi sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise, then top with a handful of shaved bonito and nori. Serve warm.