Okonomiyaki are a traditional Japanese Pancake, and the ones I’ve eaten before seem to be mostly cabbage, with grilled bacon and the sweet Okonomiyaki sauce, as well as mayonnaise. The version I’m doing today is from the Smitten Kitten recipe here 

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/05/japanese-cabbage-and-vegetable-pancakes/ I’m making these for three reasons,

1. We have a whole head of Chinese cabbage in the refrigerator, and if we don’t start using it soon, it will go to waste
2. Tomorrow is a 5:2 Diet day, and I’m on lunch duty, this will be our lunch.
3. I like them, these ones are a bit like bubble and squeak, without the potato

My recipe is for two people on a low calorie diet, the 5:2 diet, and the aim is to keep these around 250 calories per serve. I also had to change the cooking method, as my quantities ended up with a wetter mix than I originally wanted. The end result is actually very good, so no real harm done.

Japanese vegetable pancake – Okonomiyaki

Pancake Ingredients – serves 2

260 grams cabbage
2 medium carrots
small bunch kale or spinach
3 medium spring onions
1/3 cup flour
3 eggs
Cooking oil spray

Okonomiyaki Sauce recipe

1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (note: this is not vegetarian)
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon rice cooking wine or sake
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey (use 2 if you like a sweeter sauce)
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Pancake Method

Add the first 4 ingredients to a food processor and pulse to a semi fine mix (not mush).
Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the flour, and mix into the mixture
Add the eggs and combine thoroughly
Spray two oven proof frying pans with oil, and divide the mixture evenly between them. Start by frying the ingredients over a medium heat on the stove top, and then transfer the pan to a pre-heated broiler (180-200C), and cook through (crank up to fan broil if need be). The Pancakes can take quite a bit of browning, in fact that adds to the flavour.
Allow to cool slightly, transfer to a serving plate, and spread on the Okonomiyaki sauce and Mayonnaise if using. 

Sauce Method

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until smooth and thick.

Japanese vegetable pancake – Brown bits mean flavour