okonomiyaki: savoury Japanese pancakes, any way you like them!

This will be a quick post, much like the dish, which can be thrown together in a matter of minutes.

The only ingredients that I would say are standard for this recipe are flour, egg, and chopped cabbage; after that, you can go nuts throwing in leftover vegetables, pieces of meat, seafood, etc., and if you want it to taste Japanese, at least one ingredient with a Japanese flavour (such as dashi instead of water, bonito shavings (katsuobushi), or nori flakes). These items are super cheap in Japan, and can often be found in Chinese or other Asian supermarkets.

borrowing from britain: japanese niku jaga

“In coming to Japan, I was really looking forward to catching up with my friend Kyle (he moved here from Toronto years ago). I had little expectations for learning opportunities, as it was very difficult to get anything organized in advance. But now that I’m here, everything has changed. After meeting me face to face, the same people who were apprehensive about planning things online are proud to take me into their homes and restaurants to share their cooking and culture! Each day has been full of lessons and learning, scurrying from one city to another. I’ve even had to turn people’s offers down after being double and triple-booked! It’s been more than three weeks here, and I’m wishing that I had more time. Here are a few of the highlights from my stay: