Name: Okonomiyaki with Prosciutto and Pickled Mushrooms
Ingredients: 16 ounces mushrooms, any variety; ¾ cup apple cider vinegar; 1¼ cups water; 1 tablespoon salt; 5 tablespoons sugar; 2 tablespoons minced ginger; 1 garlic clove; 2 bay leaves; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 cup mayonnaise; 6 teaspoons sriracha; 8 tablespoons ketchup; 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 3 tablespoons honey; 1 head of cabbage, around 3 pounds, about 6 cups chopped; 2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 4 eggs; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil; 1 cup chicken broth; 2 green onions, plus more for garnish; 4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided; 6 slices prosciutto; Nori sheets, roughly chopped, for garnish

Okonomiyaki with Prosciutto and Pickled Mushrooms

Okonomiyaki is a popular street food in Japan. The name means “grilled as you like it.” This savory cabbage pancake can be stuffed and topped with pretty much anything. Our version uses easy-to-find ingredients to create a dish that is, if not authentic, at least similar to what you might find on the streets of Japan.

Ingredients

Pickled Mushrooms

16 ounces mushrooms, any variety
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
1¼ cups water
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons minced ginger
1 garlic clove
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme

Spicy Mayo

1 cup mayonnaise
6 teaspoons sriracha

Okonomiyaki Sauce

8 tablespoons ketchup
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey

Okonomiyaki

1 head of cabbage, around 3 pounds, about 6 cups chopped
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 eggs
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup chicken broth
2 green onions, plus more for garnish
4 tablespoons neutral oil, divided
6 slices prosciutto
Nori sheets, roughly chopped, for garnish

Instructions

Serves 6
Clean mushrooms of any debris, cut stems off and slice large ones in half. Combine vinegar, water, salt and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms and boil for 1 minute. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and drop into a quart-size jar along with ginger, garlic, bay and thyme. Pour the hot brine over the mushrooms until they are completely submerged. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Mushrooms can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
To prepare the spicy mayo and okonomiyaki sauce, whisk together the ingredients for each recipe, pour into separate jars or plastic squeeze bottles, and place in the fridge.
Chop the cabbage into bite-size pieces and set aside. Chop both white and green parts of the green onion and combine with flour, baking powder, eggs, sesame oil and broth in a large bowl. Gently mix until combined, then fold in the cabbage. Stir until all the cabbage is coated in batter.
Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. (You can use more than one skillet or a large griddle to make more than 1 pancake at a time.) Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and swirl to coat. Add 1 cup of batter and spread it into a circle using two spatulas. Place a slice of prosciutto on top. Cook the first side for 5 to 6 minutes, then carefully flip the pancake over and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Each side should be slightly browned and the inside should be cooked through. Add more oil as needed for each pancake.
When the okonomiyaki are done, plate prosciutto-side-up. Drizzle with spicy mayo and okonomiyaki sauce, and top with pickled mushrooms, chopped nori sheets and a sprinkle of sliced green onion.
Edible Michiana original recipe