Vegan Okonomiyaki – Japanese Cabbage Carrot Pancakes

Ingredients

For the Pancakes

• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 3/4 cup carrots
• 1/2 red or green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp scallions
• 1 inch ginger, minced
• 2 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp miso, optional
• 1/8 tsp Indian black salt, kala namak- optional
• 2 tsp crumbled nori sheets, or 1/2 tsp togarashi – optional
• 1/2 cup unbleached white flour (ap flour), or a mix of rice flour and all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder optional
• 2 to 3 tablespoons water

For the Easy Tonkatsu Sauce

• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce, or whatever sauce as we refer to it in my house 😉
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• a few tsp water

Steps

Make the okonomiyaki.

1. Shred all the vegetables and mix in the vinegar, soy sauce, salt, white pepper, nutritional yeast, miso, black salt and crumbled nori sheets. Leave for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in the flours and baking powder, then add a little water to make the mixture spreadable. Very little may be needed because the vegetables release water according to how they are shredded.
3. Warm a pan over medium heat and add the oil. Spread the batter evenly into a pancake 1/4" to 1/2" thick and cook for 5 to 7 minutes per side.
4. Serve with tonkatsu sauce, vegan mayo and pickled ginger if available. Green onion and sesame seeds may also be sprinkled on top.

Make the tonkatsu sauce.

1. For the tonkatsu sauce, mix all its ingredients until well combined and serve.