Learning from Otafuku's Okonomiyaki Meister: Fluffy Okonomiyaki Made in a Frying Pan

The guest holds the advanced level of "Okonomiyaki Specialist," an internal Otafuku Sauce certification. According to the explanation, the certification is divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, and the exams include both a written test and a practical test. Beginner level means knowing how to make okonomiyaki, and intermediate level means being able to coach okonomiyaki restaurants; there are about 200 intermediate holders. The advanced level designates an okonomiyaki expert recognized by the company, requires approval from the board of directors, and currently has only three holders. Ryuji was surprised: "Isn't that way too narrow a gate?"

In their previous collaboration, they made a hot pot using tenkasu (tempura bits), but according to Ryuji, what most viewers actually tried was the Lady Borden ice cream topped with tenkasu. This time, wanting to make a video that only Otafuku could make, Ryuji chose okonomiyaki. Instead of a hot plate, they used a frying pan of the kind found in any home.

The ingredients came from Otafuku's "Okonomiyaki Kodawari Set," which packs flour, tenkasu and aonori into one bag. According to the meister, the flour contains four kinds of dashi, so simply mixing it with water makes it taste good. The yam powder is strictly domestic, making it a different product from ordinary okonomiyaki flour. Since grating yam into the batter is a hassle, the approach is to "take a shortcut from the start," and Ryuji agreed.

The tenkasu contains squid powder. The aonori is a type called "suji aonori," which is less likely to stick to your teeth and has good color and aroma. By the meister's estimate, the cost is about 100 yen per okonomiyaki. The other ingredients are cabbage, green onion, pork belly (thin scraps also work), eggs, and sauce, mayonnaise and bonito flakes for finishing.

Otafuku recommends shredding the cabbage and then cutting it short. According to the meister, finely minced cabbage actually cooks less well, making the cooking time longer. Ryuji said they hadn't known this.

The cutting method was explained in detail. Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the hard core. The tough parts of the leaf veins remain, so if you cut parallel to the core, those hard parts end up intact. Instead, cut at a right angle to the core, slicing across the fibers. Making just the first few cuts at a diagonal keeps the lengths even. With even lengths, the pieces are also uniform when you cut them shorter, aiming for about 2 cm. This creates gaps between the pieces of cabbage, making the inside fluffy when cooked. A quarter cabbage weighs 200–250 g, enough for about 1.5 okonomiyaki.

What the meister emphasizes is the ratio of batter to cabbage, recommending 1.5 times as much cabbage as batter by weight. This time it was 100 g of batter to 150 g of cabbage. The more cabbage there is, the more easily it cooks through and the fluffier it gets. When teaching restaurants, the ratio is about 1 to 2, but at home more batter makes mixing easier, so 1.5 is used. Experienced cooks can reduce the batter, and one bag of the Kodawari Set (labeled as serving two) can apparently make three okonomiyaki.

You don't even need a whisk to mix the flour with 150 cc of water. A few lumps are fine, and it's better not to overmix. Put the cabbage in a bowl, and add half the batter, half the tenkasu, the green onion and an egg.

When Ryuji asked about the role of the tenkasu, the meister gave three reasons: it contains oil, it adds richness to the batter, and it helps conduct heat, reducing the chance of the center staying undercooked.

At this stage, don't mix yet. The key is to mix right before cooking. Mixing too early lets the salt draw water out of the cabbage. On top of that, the gluten in the batter breaks down, and the batter runs out the bottom while cooking, so it won't cook properly.

A 26 cm frying pan was used, aiming for an okonomiyaki 18–20 cm in diameter. Mix one okonomiyaki's worth at a time. Heat over medium to about 200°C, but since temperature is hard to judge in a frying pan, sprinkle a little water on it; when large bubbles form and evaporate, it's time to start cooking. On a hot plate, a 200°C setting is fine.

The mixing method was described as "like tapping." Rather than stirring around and around, lift the batter and egg that have settled at the bottom of the bowl from bottom to top, coating and binding the cabbage. It's fine if the white and yolk are still separate. Once mixed, gather everything into a ball and drop it into the pan so that the bottom side, where the batter has pooled, faces up. Shape it to about 2 cm high. Feeling like there's too much cabbage is just right, as air gets trapped inside and makes it fluffy. Ryuji, who doesn't like floury okonomiyaki, said they were looking forward to this texture. With a Teflon-coated pan, there's no need for oil.

The pork isn't put on at the start. According to the meister, the cooking surface gets quite hot, and putting the meat on early makes it shrink and release blood and scum. It goes on just before flipping. There are two signs: the okonomiyaki moves when you shake the pan, and white bubbles appear on the surface. Pork belly is well suited because it releases fat; if you use scraps, add a little vegetable oil.

Slide the spatula in from the side, lift, move it toward the far side, then flip it toward you. Then add water, cover with a lid and steam. Restaurants don't do this step, and the reason lies in the thickness of the cooking surface. A restaurant griddle is 15–20 mm thick, while a home frying pan is about 4–5 mm and loses heat quickly. Steaming makes up for this, cooking it through to the center. Since the oil doesn't splatter and it doesn't produce much smell, it's well suited to home cooking.

Cover and wait about 4 minutes. If not using a lid, lower the heat and cook longer. You can tell it's done by the sound: when the sizzling right after flipping has almost stopped, the moisture has evaporated. Finally, remove the lid to cook off the remaining moisture. To check doneness, it shouldn't bend when lifted, and no batter should stick to a skewer inserted into it. If cutting cabbage is a hassle, pre-cut cabbage is also fine.

The finishing touch is Otafuku Okonomi Sauce. The meister described it as a sauce packed with vegetables and fruit, and Ryuji said it's widely used at restaurants in Osaka too. According to the meister, some restaurants use it in blends. Rather than drawing thin lines like in a factory, pour it on generously. The way the sauce slowly flows has "sizzle appeal." Top with mayonnaise, bonito flakes (which tone down the flouriness and add dashi flavor) and suji aonori, and it's done.

Tasting it, Ryuji was surprised at how good it was despite containing only a little pork and cabbage. It was fluffy and not heavy, and Ryuji compared it with Kanto-style okonomiyaki, which is often heavy. The meister explained that wrapping the cabbage in batter brings out its sweetness. Ryuji praised it, saying, "If a restaurant served this, you'd think, this place is good," and realized that since there's more batter, it's better to be generous with the sauce. As reasons the cabbage was so well cooked, the meister cited the waiting time and not cutting the cabbage too thick.

The second dish was the meister's suggestion: recreating the mixed okonomiyaki, which contains pork, squid and shrimp, with things you have at home. According to the meister, it was first tried out because of a shrimp allergy that ruled out the mixed version, and it turned out delicious.

The amounts are the same as the first one, with konnyaku cut into fairly large pieces added. Most konnyaku these days has already had its bitterness removed, so you can just cut it as is. Chikuwa is also added, then everything is mixed with the same tapping method and cooked. On top go shiso leaves, and tenkasu instead of pork. According to the meister's explanation, the tenkasu makes up for the pork's savoriness and crisp texture. Tenkasu holds up fine even when cooked for a long time. However, tenkasu doesn't stick well on top of the shiso and tends to scatter when flipped, so save a little batter and spread it on top to make it stick. If you want it crispier, you can drizzle about a tablespoon of vegetable oil before flipping, but this time it was cooked without oil. After flipping, add water and steam in the same way; it's done when the sound and steam have almost stopped.

While it was cooking, seeing the crisp tenkasu on the surface, Ryuji said, "This is an okonomiyaki I've never seen before." After eating it, Ryuji said, "Maybe you don't need meat," citing the tenkasu's texture standing in for the pork, the aroma of the shiso and the savoriness of the chikuwa. Ryuji had been skeptical about the chikuwa, but its savoriness came through quite directly. Ryuji felt that just adding ingredients with a bit of flavor transforms it dramatically. Since it didn't have a name yet, Ryuji named it "Pre-Payday Okonomiyaki," saying it isn't sad even before payday, and that there are actually days they'd want to eat this. Ryuji praised the fact that it can be made without oil and doesn't sit heavy in the stomach, saying it's a recipe everyone will want to make.

The third dish was "Petit Oko" for parties. Here the cabbage is minced to make them easier to eat. 150 g of cabbage (one okonomiyaki's worth) makes about 12. Scooping the batter with an ice cream scoop is convenient, though a spoon also works. Cut the pork small; scissors are fine too. Place cheddar cheese on the batter, then layer the pork on top.

They cook the same way as the large ones: flip once they move when shaken. Being small, they're done in about 7 minutes. The meister also noted that they're easy for children to flip. Ryuji said that although the cooking method is the same, they look different, so they seem like a different dish.

Because they're small, you can try various sauces. Otafuku's "Otona no Karakuchi" (Spicy for Adults) sauce, according to the meister, uses dried and smoked jalapeños. Tasting it while toasting with a highball, Ryuji raved about the combination with cheese. Toppings that just require opening a can, such as corn and tuna, were also prepared. If you want to put in more effort, mentaiko and processed cheese are recommended. Ryuji said mentaiko cheese might be their favorite, calling it "way too good as a drinking snack." The meister added that kimchi would probably go well too. A spicy sauce reminiscent of curry was also served, and Ryuji, saying "Isn't this pretty revolutionary?", was impressed by the wide range of possible combinations.

Ryuji looked back once more on the fluffiness of the batter and the deliciousness of Otafuku sauce. Ryuji recommended that even people who think of okonomiyaki as heavy give it a try, as it's quite light, and said that cooking them one at a time and enjoying Petit Oko party-style are both good options. At the end, Ryuji once again ate the dessert that drew attention last time, "just Lady Borden topped with tenkasu." Checking whether it had only tasted good last time because of the mood of the moment, Ryuji still found it delicious, like a crunch, said "Somebody should sell this," and ended the video.