Okonomiyaki from Japan

When I worked in a Language School we used to have quite a lot of Japanese students.  Once a month on a Friday I would have a cooking conversation class.  Students had to show the class how to make a traditional dish from their home country, talking us all through the steps.  A great way to practice speaking in English, and an even better way to feed us on Food Friday!  Without fail one of the Japanese students would make Okonomiyaki and it became a class favourite.  Basically Okonomiyaki is a kind of thick pancake, sometimes even called a japanese pizza.  There are different ways of making Okonomiyaki, depending on which part of Japan you are in.  In fact Okonomiyaki is Japanese for 'grilled as you like it' so whatever you include in it is really up to you.  You can make it seafood, vegetarian or full of meat.  I chose to make one with cooked beef mince,

Mince Filling:
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 cup beef mince (you can use chicken or pork)
1 chili finely chopped (optional)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
Pancake:
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove finely chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped coriander
1 cup flour
2 eggs
mayonnaise and BBQ sauce for garnishing
Cook the mince and set aside to cool.  In a large bowl combine the cabbage, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander and flour.  Use your fingers to toss it all together so that everything is covered by the flour.  Add the eggs and whisk together until you have a thick batter.  Fold in the cooked mince and any other fillings you are choosing to use.  Use the mince filling saucepan to cook the pancake.  Heat the saucepan and empty out the cabbage pancake mixture into the pan.  Use a spatula to flatten down the top, pressing down quite hard.  Then push the edges back a little towards the centre so that you make a round thick pancake.  Cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 5-7 minutes until the bottom is brown.  Turn over the Okonomiyaki and press it down firmly with the spatula.  Let it cook for 5-7 minutes until brown.  Remember to cover the pan with a lid.  If you struggle to flip it over with the spatuala, what I do is slide it off the pan onto a plate.  Put another plate on top, turn it over and slide it back into the pan.  When it is cooked, slide it onto a plate.  Liberally drizzle BBQ sauce and mayonnaise on the top.  For an added garnish crumble some dried seaweed (nori) on the top.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine. She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U@ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B. All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Tofu Hambagu from Japan

When you think of Japanese cuisine you think of healthy food and this tasty snack is no exception.  Although it contains tofu, it also has meat in it, so despite its name it is NOT suitable for vegetarians.  Sorry about that!  The meatballs have an extra dimension to them because of the tofu.  And the teriyaki sauce compliments it beautifully.  In this recipe I have used chicken mince, but you can substitute the chicken with beef or pork mince if you wish.

250g chicken mince
1 pack tofu
1 1/2 capsicum (different colours)
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 thumb-size of ginger finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons cooking oil for frying
Sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sweet wine
2 teaspoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon potato starch
Mix the chicken mince, tofu, capsicum, onion, ginger, egg, salt and pepper together in a bowl.  The mixture should be quite sticky.  Cover with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.  Put the oil in a frying pan.  Sprinkle the cup of bread crumbs onto a flat plate.  Form the mince mixture into meatballs and roll them in the bread crumbs before frying them in the hot oil.  When the meatballs are cooked through reduce the heat.  In a cup mix together the soy sauce, sugar, sweet wine, vinegar and potato starch.  Pour over the meatballs in the frying pan.  Allow to simmer in the sauce for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens.  Don't forget to flip over the meatballs so that both sides are coated in the sauce!  Serve with rice or put on a hamburger bun.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living and working in Kyiv in Ukraine.  She is the author of Hush Baby, Defective, C U @ 8, Not Telling and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both print and Kindle format. http://cindyvine.com

Izakaya Pork Ribs from Japan

An izakaya is a Japanese version of a pub.  The sole purpose of an izakaya is for you to drink and talk nonsense with your friends.  As with all pubs, they need to sell easy finger food to go with the alcohol.  So that you keep drinking of course.  Pork ribs or pork belly would be shared with friends tapas-style.  The Japanese would use sake (rice wine) and rice vinegar, however as I don't have either I used ingredients most people would be able to get quite easily.

1 kg pork ribs
Ginger root thinly sliced into finger length pieces
1 onion finely chopped
1 green chili finely chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 garlic cloves finely chopped
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup sugar
1 stalk celery finely chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1/2 cup water
1 star anise
Cut the rack into individual ribs.  Put the oil in the pot and braise the ribs until they are brown on both sides.  Add the ginger, chili, onions, garlic and sugar and cook until it begins to caramelise.  Add the rest of the ingredients and allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove ribs from the pot and place in an oven pan, pour over the liquid from the pot.  Grill at 180 degrees Celsius for an hour, turning the ribs over after 30 minutes.
Cindy Vine is a South African currently living in Kyiv Ukraine.  She is the author of Survival Tips for the Suddenly Single, Hush Baby, Defective and The Case of Billy B.  All her books are available on Amazon in both Kindle and print format.