Oh-konomiyaki

Technically meaning "grill/cook what you like", okonomiyaki Kansai-style (aka from Osaka, where everyone speaks funny like Tasuki from Fushigi Yuugi) is pan-fried batter cake. I was introduced this Japanese specialty at the food court at Mitsuwa. Fumiko was this little lunch place that served bad-ass okonomiyaki--basically, Japanese pancake with cabbage, various veggies and meats, covered in tonkatsu sauce, mayo, bonito flakes and pickled ginger. The taste is a bouquet of salty and sweet, and smells vaguely of the essence of spring when the cherry blossoms fall. Or something.

So, in lieu of the Japan Box that will never arrive, we made okonomiyaki tonight. I love Torrance. I love living within 2 miles of three Japanese grocery stores and one Korean. Even if none of these stores can find my Japan Box. I was actually able to find ALL the traditional ingredients, including dashi to add to the flour to make the 'glue' that holds all the pancake 'what you like' together.

So, okonomiyaki, Maloney-style, from start to finish:


The ingredients: batter (flour, dashi, cabbage, egg), chicken, corn and green onions.


Putting them all together in the pan. Looks...yeah.


The condiments: tonkatsu sauce, mayo and pickled ginger in a tube.


Hey, it looks almost edible now!


Ta-da! We have something resembling nihon ryori (Japanese food).


And Tim does the dishes, including the three pans I scorched in the process.

Theoretically, I begin teaching for University of Phoenix (online English classes, yay!) in September sometime. We'll keep you posted on that. Otherwise, life rolls on same-old, same-old.