This savoury Japanese pancake is called okonomiyaki and made with any ingredients you like or have on hand. It’s the best way to use up leftovers!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 55 min

INGREDIENTS
For the savoury Japanese pancake
¾ cup flour
¾ cup vegetable stock
¼ cup cornflour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp sugar
¼ cup soy sauce
2 eggs
½ tsp sesame oil
1 sweet potato
½ cabbage, leaves shredded and heart finely chopped
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 packet streaky bacon
For the sauce
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1½ tbsp tomato sauce
1½ tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp honey
½ tsp soy sauce
To serve
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 spring onions, thinly sliced

METHOD
For the savoury Japanese pancake
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together, along with the sweet potato.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, until just combined. Do not overmix.
4. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
5. Stir through the remaining veggies to create a thick, chunky batter.
6. Heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
7. Add half the pancake batter and immediately turn the heat down to medium. Flatten with your spatula, spreading the batter to the edges of the pan.
8. Slice the bacon and then sprinkle over half of it, pressing the pieces into the pancake with your spatula. Cook for 4–5 minutes.
9. Flip and cook for another 4–5 minutes, until the bacon has crisped up. Flip again and remove from the pan. Repeat with the other half of the batter and bacon.
For the sauce
1. Whisk together all the ingredients, until well combined.
To serve
1. Drizzle with the sauce and the mayonnaise. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spring onion and serve immediately.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

It turns out the Japanese are famous for their delicious array of pancake recipes, including these light and fluffy pancakes with pea hummus.

The post Savoury Japanese pancake with cabbage appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you haven’t seen the latest craze of Japanese pancakes floating around, now’s the time to try these light and fluffy delights with pea hummus!

SERVES 4-6 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
For the pea hummus
1 cup peas
2 tbsp sesame seeds, ground
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
±⅓ cup olive oil
For the Japanese pancakes
1 cup self-raising flour
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp baking powder
1 cups buttermilk
Handful parsley
2 eggs
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD
For the pea hummus
1. Place the peas, sesame seeds, garlic and cumin in a food processor. Blitz until very finely chopped.
2. With the food processor running, trickle in the oil through the top. Add a little more if needed to create a smooth paste. Season.
For the Japanese pancakes
1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and baking powder.
2. In a food processor, blend the buttermilk and parsley until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, mayonnaise and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture.
4. Heat some oil in a pan. Add 3 tbsp batter, cover, and fry for 2–3 minutes, until bubbles start to form on the surface. Flip the pancake and cook, uncovered, for another 3 minutes.
To serve
1. Build a stack of pancakes, spreading each one with pea hummus. Serve with broccoli and salad leaves.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Enjoy pancakes from around the world with these Ethiopian injera pancakes up next.

The post Japanese pancakes and pea hummus stack appeared first on MyKitchen.

For a healthy and sustainable meal, these Japanese angelfish poke bowls tick all the right boxes! You can prepare the fish over the braai and assemble the bowl together, all in no time.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the rice
2 cups sushi rice
3 cups water
3 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
For the fish
2 angelfish fillets, cubed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the dressing
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sesame oil
To serve
1 avocado, sliced
Handful coriander
Handful baby spinach
2 carrots, ribboned
6 baby cucumbers, ribboned
Sesame seeds, to sprinkle
1 lime, wedges

METHOD
For the rice
1. Heat a potjie over medium coals and cook the rice according to packet instructions. Stir through the vinegar and set aside.
For the fish
1. Rub the angelfish with oil and season well.
2. Heat a braai pan over hot coals. Flash-fry the fish for 3 min per side.
For the dressing
1. Combine all the ingredients and pour over the fish. Set aside.
To serve
1. Divide the rice between bowls and top with sliced avo, coriander, spinach, carrots and baby cucumber. Add fish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Pop a lime wedge on the side and serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Japanese angelfish poke bowls, on the braai! appeared first on MyKitchen.

The 7-course seafood tasting menu at Kyoto Sushi Garden made me appreciate the simplistic umami flavours of Japanese food.

By Chiara Turilli

It felt like we were at a show. As we walked into the restaurant, which was light in an authentic inviting warm hue. Our waiter, who just happened to be a food photographer, gestured to a quaint two-seater table giving us an entire display of the sushi bar and kitchen.

The curtains had opened, the waiter brought us some warm sake and guided us through the different flavour profiles we would experience.

Course 1 | Exotic sushi

Course 2 | Whole squid in its ink

Course 3 | Oyster tempura

Course 4 | Udon noodles in iced lime broth

Course 5 | Succulent lobster with a side of burnt butter

Course 6 | Trio of Japanese flavoured ice cream

The plates that stole the limelight were the Sea Urchin Uni, Succulent Lobster with a side of burnt butter and Miso Ice Cream.

MY FAVOURITES

Sea urchin uni | It felt like I was truly experiencing the flavour of the ocean. It also has a subtle pepperiness. The synergy of sushi rice, seaweed and a fresh slice of sea urchin was impeccable.

Succulent lobster with a side of burnt butter | I found great satisfaction of pulling out a hunk of the plump sweet lobster flesh and dipping it directly into the caramelized butter. The intense flavour of the masterfully prepared burnt butter made this dish.

Miso ice cream | To me, this was the Japanese version of salted caramel. This ice cream fed all my senses. It was creamy, salty, sweet and there was a hint of the malt at the end.

The post Kyoto Sushi Garden – The Fish Extravaganza appeared first on MyKitchen.