Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savory pancake with cabbage, bean sprout, noodles, sliced pork belly, and a fried egg, topped with savory sauce and Japanese mayo. Watch the video tutorial for step-by-step instructions!
Have you tried the Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) before? It’s a Japanese savory pancake that contains a variety of ingredients. “Okonomi” in Japanese means “as you like it”, so it’s a savory pancake that contains whatever ingredients you like.
Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki (広島風お好み焼き) is a type of Okonomiyaki that originated in Hiroshima, Japan.
Two Styles of Okonomiyaki
1. Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki
Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki is made of batter, which includes flour and water or dashi, shredded cabbage, egg, and green onion along with the protein of your choice, such as pork belly slices or seafood.
You can find my Osaka-style Okonomiyaki recipe here.
2. Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki
Hiroshima-Style Okonomiyaki uses almost the same ingredients, but they are layered rather than mixed in with the batter like Osaka-style. Not only that, fried egg and yakisoba noodles (or sometimes udon noodles) are used as toppings.
When you are in Hiroshima and order “okonomiyaki”, this layered okonomiyaki with noodles and fried egg would come to the table instead of Osaka-style Okonomiyaki.
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki has been around since the 1950s. At that time, the country was quite poor and people only used a little bit of flour and vegetables to make Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki.
The current Hiroshima Okonomiyaki with meat, egg, and noodles is a version that has evolved throughout the years. Nowadays there are over 2,000 restaurants within the Hiroshima area that specialized in Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki!
Osaka vs. Hiroshima
Which one is tastier? Well, that’s really up to your preference. If you like fried noodles and less doughy texture, Hiroshima okonomiyaki is definitely your choice.
I like both styles of okonomiyaki, so it’d be very hard for me to pick just one! At home, I just cook them alternatively.
3 Okonomiyaki Toppings
1. Okonomi Sauce
I would say the important and delicious element for both Hiroshima- and Osaka-style okonomiyaki is the Okonomi Sauce (お好みソース).
Originally, Worcestershire sauce was used but throughout the years the flavor has evolved to the current flavor. Okonomi Sauce has a sweet and sour flavor that’s slightly different from Tonkatsu Sauce and it’s thicker consistency so it goes well with Okonomiyaki. Oh so delicious!
2. Japanese Mayonnaise
Some people would call Japanese mayo Kewpie Mayo. It has a sweet and tangy flavor that is well-balanced.
Many JOC readers have told me that they haven’t gone back to the original mayo they had been using since they tasted Japanese mayonnaise!
3. Aonori (dried green seaweed):
It is dried green (Ao) seaweed (Nori) flakes/powder. This umami-rich seaweed has a bright intense green color and has a unique fragrant.
Japan has many types of seaweed from wakame, nori, to kombu. We use the specific name for each type of seaweed instead of just calling them “seaweed”. It helps identify which is the correct seaweed for a different type of dishes.
You can buy Aonori from Amazon and Japanese/Asian grocery stores. Or you can substitute with regular nori if you can’t find it.
Itadakimasu!
I hope my tutorial video and step-by-step instructions with pictures would help you achieve the delicious Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki! If you haven’t tried Osaka-style, give it a try next!
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Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki
Video
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup water (measure ⅔ cup and remove 2 tsp to be precise)
- 1 tsp mirin
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (plain flour) (¾ cup + 1 ½ Tbsp to be precise; if you have cake flour, definitely use that; otherwise AP flour is okay.)
- 8.5 oz cabbage (about 3 large cabbage leaves)
- 1 green onion/scallion
- 2 Tbsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- 4 Tbsp tenkasu/agedama (tempura scraps)
- 2.1 g bean sprouts (about a handful)
- 2 Tbsp tororo kombu (optional; you can buy online)
- 6 slices sliced pork belly
- 2 servings yakisoba noodles
- 2 large eggs (50 g each w/o shell)
Toppings
- okonomi sauce (you can also make my homemade okonomiyaki sauce recipe)
- Japanese mayonnaise
- aonori (dried green seaweed)
- pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, add water and mirin.
- Add the flour and whisk until combined. Chill the batter for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator so the texture will become smooth.
- Meanwhile, cut the cabbage and scallion into thin slices. A good sharp knife will help you cut the cabbage into thin slices.
- Grind katsuobushi in a mortar and pestle until it becomes fine powder.
- After chilling in the refrigerator, the batter becomes smoother.
- We will make one Okonomiyaki at a time (unless you are comfortable making two at the same time). Keep in mind the ingredients are for 2 serving so divide all the ingredients into two equal parts.
- Heat a large non-stick griddle (I use this electric griddle at home) to 340°F (170°C). Pour about ¼ cup of the batter onto the hot griddle. Immediately using the back of the ladle, move the ladle in a spiral motion from the center towards the edge of the batter (see the video). This process will make the batter thin out and maintain a nice round shape. The width of the “crepe” should be about 8-9 inches (20-23 cm).
- Sprinkle ground katsuobushi on the batter and place cabbage on top.
- Next put tenkasu, scallion, and bean sprout on top.
- Then put tororo kombu (optional) and 3 slices of thinly sliced pork belly without overlapping.
- Pour 1 Tbsp batter on top (this will act as glue). Using two spatulas one on each side, carefully and quickly flip. Turn the heat to 390°F (200°C) to cook the meat. Don’t press down the “crepe” with the spatula yet (you will do it so on Step 13). When the pork belly is no longer pink, turn the heat down to 340°F (170°C) and move the Okonomiyaki to the side. If you are using a frying pan instead of the griddle, start heating up another frying pan.
- Separate the noodles with hands and place them in the open space on the griddle (or the 2nd frying pan). Stir fry the noodles until they are coated with oil. Add 1-2 Tbsp okonomi sauce and coat with the noodles.
- Make the noodles into a round shape similar to the same size as the “crepe”. Now using two spatulas, transfer the Okonomiyaki on top of the noodles.
- Heat the oil in the open space and crack an egg. Quickly spread the egg into the same size as Okonomiyaki.
- Before the egg is completely cooked, place the Okonomiyaki on top of the egg (see the video).
- When the bottom of the egg is cooked, using the two spatulas, flip the Okonomiyaki for the last time.
- Season with okonomi sauce, mayonnaise, and aonori. Serve immediately.
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.
Other Pancake Recipes on Just One Cookbook
- Korean Pancake (savory)
- Osaka-Style Pancake (savory)
- Red Bean Pancake (sweet)
- Fluffy Japanese Souffle Pancake (sweet)
