I get so excited about saying and making okonomiyaki that you’d think I invented them. I didn’t, and this is in no way authentic.

You'll need:

About half a pointed cabbage, sliced as finely as you can
Three spring onions, washed, sliced, green bits and all
One egg
Tablespoon of plain flour
Two tablespoons of soy sauce
Okonomiyaki sauce, I like Otafuku
Japanese mayonnaise, try Kenko
About 10cm square of a nori sheet, finely chopped

Method:

Add the sliced cabbage and about two thirds of the sliced spring onions to a large bowl. Sprinkle over the flour, then stir together.

In another bowl, beat the egg, then add in the soy sauce. Pour this mix over the cabbage and stir well. Like, really well. You’ll find that the batter goes to the bottom of the bowl, more on that in a minute.

Heat up some veg oil in a small (very non-stick) frying pan. Use a medium to low heat to help stop things sticking. Once hot, pour over the cabbage mixture. Pour over any remaining batter to fill any obvious gaps.

Shake the pan once in a while to help prevent sticking (there’s a theme here). Have a peep underneath to see if the okonomiyaki is ‘solid’ enough to turn - ie, when the batter has set.

Very carefully flip the okonomiyaki over. I’ve variously used plates, large flat lids and chopping boards for this precarious moment.

Cook for about another five minutes. Turn it out onto a serving plate. Decorate with entwined swirls of the okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Top with chopped nori, the rest of the spring onions and anything else you want, like pickled ginger, bonito (tuna flakes) or sesame seeds.

Effort to taste ratio (both out of 10):
5:9

Verdict:
It’s all in the flip. Be prepared for disappointment, but it’ll taste great either way.