Fried pancake

Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with two distinct variants from Hiroshima or the Kansai region of Japan, but is widely available throughout the country, with toppings and batters varying by area. A liquid-based okonomiyaki, popular in Tokyo, is called monjayaki. Outside of Japan, it can also be found served in Manila, Fried pancake, Bangkok, and Jakarta by street vendors.

The first appearance of the word “okonomiyaki” was at a shop in Osaka in the 1930s. The dish is known for two distinct main variants, one in Kansai and Osaka and one in Hiroshima. Another variety is hirayachi, a thin and simple type made in Okinawa. Okonomiyaki in the Kansai or Osaka style is the predominant version of the dish, found throughout most of Japan. It is sometimes compared to an omelette or a pancake and is sometimes referred to as a “Japanese pizza” or “Osaka soul food”.

It is prepared much like a pancake. The batter and other ingredients are pan-fried on both sides on a teppan using metal spatulas that are later used to cut the dish when it has finished cooking. Korean pajeon and Chinese green onion pancakes. A variation called kashimin-yaki is made of chicken and tallow instead of pork in Kishiwada, Osaka. In the city of Hiroshima, there are over 2000 okonomiyaki restaurants, and the prefecture has more of those restaurants per capita than any other place in Japan.

Hiroshima prior to World War II. After the atomic bombing of the city in August 1945, issen yōshoku became a cheap way for the surviving residents to have food to eat. The ingredients are layered rather than mixed. The layers are typically batter, cabbage, pork, and yakisoba. The amount of cabbage used is usually three to four times the amount used in the Osaka style. It starts out piled very high and is pushed down as the cabbage cooks. In and around the Hiroshima area, there are a number of variations on the style.