Okonomiyaki Dinner

Sometimes one wakes up and desires to host an okonomiyaki dinner.  Sunday was such a day for me and today was the actualization.  Okonomiyaki is a Japanese egg dough pancake and can contain a number of different ingredients.  Literally the name means, "as you like it" (okonomi) and "grilled" (yaki).  So everyone brought the stuff that they wanted to put in their okonomiyaki and we all shared the various different versions that we created.  Octopus, squid, shrimp, mushrooms, bacon, pork, kimchi, mochi, cheese, onion, noodles, cod roe, salmon.....and then topped with mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, perhaps also some seaweed and pickled ginger.  This evening we were blessed with the presence of our Japanese matron, Akiko, who looked with credulity at the chopped cabbage I proudly presented to her for the dough.  Turns out there are different types of cabbage.  Perhaps an American version of okonomiyaki has been born.  She helped us as she always does, guiding us through the process;  the results were extremely filling and delicious.

Oishii!