Okonomiyaki anyone?

Okay, for the benefit of those who don't know what is Okonomiyaki, it's actually a Japanese savory pancake or pizza. This pan fried batter cake contains various ingredients, from cabbage, seafood or meat, onions and even dried shrimp! As it's name applies "okonomi" means "to one's liking" , so some actually translate this dish as "to one's liking pizza", nice huh!? It's normally served with it's special okonomiyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise and topped with seaweed shavings and bonito.

I have tasted Okonomiyaki several occasions in various Japanese restaurants but the thought of DIM (doing it myself) never come across my mind. If you have followed my posts, I recently dine at this nice Jap restaurant, Iketeru, which I got to taste their delicious seafood Okonomiyaki, it was so good! Somehow I keep thinking of it, and had an urge to really make it myself at home. I visited several Japanese grocers and found this okonomiyaki kit, yoohoo! So I bought it and decided to make it when I get the chance.

Ingredients for Okonomiyaki:
100g okonomiyaki flour (included in kit)
100ml Dashi stock (I made miso soup, that's why I have some at hand)
2 large eggs
250g shredded cabbage
6 large cooked prawns, cut small
1 white onion, slice thin and cooked till soft
2 tbsp dried shrimp, diced
1 small bunch of spring onion, diced

Toppings:
1 packet seaweed shavings (included in kit)
1 packet okonomiyaki sauce
2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise (normal mayo works too)
1 small packet of bonito flakes (can also be found in Japanese grocer)

Method:

• In a large mixing bowl, mix the okonomiyaki flour and Dashi stock together and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
• Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well till everything is coated with the batter.
• Heat up about 1/4 cup of cooking oil in a large pan and pour batter in. Pan fry it at medium heat cook for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side or till golden brown. Note that flipping the pancake can be a little tricky. I used 2 spatula to do that and lucky me it did not break!
  
• 
• When both sides are cooked till golden brown, dish up on plate and pipe the okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise on the okonomiyaki. Sprinkle the seaweed shavings & bonito on top.
• Serve while it's still hot...enjoy!

I was really pleased that it's taste is pretty close to the restaurant ones! The texture was quite "complex" with all the ingredients mingling inside. Topping off with its special sauce and mayo, it was a wonderful combo, bursting with flavors in my mouth, Oishi!! Both me and my hubby enjoyed it alot, will make it again when I miss it. :) BTW, if you have tasted Takoyaki (octopus balls) in those shopping mall food court, you will know that it's actually quite close to the taste of Okonomiyaki.

So if you happen to see okonomiyaki kit in your nearby Japanese grocer, do think about trying it out..it's really not hard at all. You'll be thanking yourself....(ahem...and your's truly) for deciding to make this delicious dish at home. ;) Enjoy!

Cheesy Parsley milk buns

It's Sunday, the next day is another start of the week. That means breakfast on the table and also I need to do my job as a homemaker. Yes, I usually bake fresh bread on Sundays now, figured it's nice to let my family have fresh bread and also allowing me to practice making bread, haha! This time round, I decided to make Cheesy Parsley milk buns. Some of my fellow bloggers have attempted this recipe (no cheese though) and made such gorgeous looking buns! *envy* Some how mine just did not look that good at all! *sigh* Really really need to practice molding the bread. But since I made the buns with cheese, so it kind of hard to hold it's shape properly. (okay...stop making excuses, haha!)

To clarify, this recipe is actually extracted from 孟老师的100道面包 book. The main difference in my recipe is I have added 1/2 a slice of Kraft cheese into each buns. Don't get me wrong, the buns are actually pretty good on it's own. But you know me...like to add a little this and that in my breads. Turn out the taste is pretty good, but you know I don't really quite like the taste of the sauce topping...it's both sweet and salty.....would probably pipe a little less of that the next time.

A close look on the inside of the bun after I gave it a BIG bite, hahah! Woooo, the yummy, gooey cheese inside the soft buns is quite delectable! I bet using some grated mozzarella would be excellent too! And since I have so much dried parsley left, I reckon I will be making this buns again. Try it and see how you like it! Cheers!