Monthly Archives: December 2016

Okonomilatkes!

2 Replies

I’m working on some type theory posts, but it’s been slow going.

In the meantime, it’s Chanukah time. Every year, my family makes me cook potato latkes for Chanukah. The problem with that is, I don’t particularly like potato latkes. This year, I came up with the idea of trying to tweak them into something that I’d actually enjoy eating. What I came up with is combining a latke with another kind of fried savory pancake that I absolutely love: the japanese Okonomiyaki. The result? Okonomilatkes.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 head green cabbage, finely shredded.
  • 1 1/2 pounds potatoes
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1/2 pound crabstick cut into small pieces
  • Tonkatsu sauce (buy it at an asian grocery store in the japanese section. The traditional brand has a bulldog logo on the bottle.)
  • Katsubuoshi (shredded bonito)
  • Japanese mayonaise (sometimes called kewpie mayonaise. You can find it in squeeze bottles in any asian grocery. Don’t substitute American mayo – Japanese mayo is thinner, less oily, a bit tart, sweeter, and creamier. It’s really pretty different.)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.

Instructions

  1. In a very hot pan, add about a tablespoon of oil, and when it’s nearly smoking, add the cabbage. Saute until the cabbage wilts and starts to brown. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.
  2. Using either the grater attachment of a food processor, or the coarse side of a box grater, shred the potatoes. (I leave the skins on, but if that bugs you, peel them first).
  3. Squeeze as much water as you can out of the shredded potatoes.
  4. Mix together the water, flour, baking powder, egg, and salt into a thin batter.
  5. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and crabstick to the batter, and stir together.
  6. Split this mixture into four portions.
  7. Heat a nonstick pan on medium high heat, add a generous amount of oil, and add one quarter of the batter. Let it cook until nicely browned, then flip, and cook the other side. On my stove, it takes 3-5 minutes per side. Add oil as needed while it’s cooking.
  8. Repeat with the other 3 portions
  9. To serve, put a pancake on a plate. Squeeze a bunch of stripes of mayonaise, then add a bunch of the tonkatsu sauce, and sprinkle with the katsubuoshi.