It’s fall, y’all – and there’s a lot more than pumpkin spice to get excited about. Whether it’s sweater weather or not, we’re looking forward to local apples, sweet potatoes, new potatoes, and all manner of winter squash. Oh, and did we mention persimmons? To celebrate, we’re whipping up one of our favorites – okonomiyaki, or Japanese vegetable pancakes. These are fab with any mixture of fall produce you have on hand as long as there’s some cabbage in the mix. Don’t skip the suggested toppings – they take this to next-level delicious.
Ingredients
- 4-6 c shaved green and/or red cabbage (a mandoline or food processor with slicing blade work best)
- 2-4 c shaved fall vegetables – we love carrots, zucchini, butternut, sweet peppers, kale (use a vegetable peeler or the slicing blade of a food processor)
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 large eggs, lightly beaten
- oil for the skillet
To serve:
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha
- Mayo thinned with lemon juice to a drizzly consistency
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sliced scallions
Instructions
- Toss cabbage, fall vegetables, scallions and salt together. Toss mixture with flour so it coats everything, then stir in the eggs.
- Heat a big skillet or griddle over medium high heat until a drop of water evaporates on contact. Add a thin layer of oil and heat for a few seconds.
- Add 1/4 of the okonomiyake mixture to the skillet, pressing it out into a 1/2- to 3/4-inch pancake. Gently press the pancake down flat. Cook until the edges start to brown, about 3 minutes. 30 seconds to 1 minute later, flip the pancake with a large spatula. Cook on the other side until the edges brown, about another minute or two.
- Slide onto a plate and keep warm in the oven while you cook the others.
- To serve, drizzle with hoisin, sriracha, and mayo to taste and sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.
Recipe by Elizabeth Winslow, Photography by Casey Woods