Okonomiyaki:
An unprecedented "Japanese food boom"just keeps going
Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake featuring ingredients like cabbage, meats, and onions, topped with sauces like okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise. Originating from Osaka, it became popular nationwide as a filling, affordable meal. Today, it's beloved for its versatility and regional variations, reflecting local tastes and ingredients, making it a staple at festivals and restaurants across Japan.
Nowadays, Japanese food has been highly rated and is well-known in the U.S. In recent years, events aimed at Americans, such as the JAPAN Fes in New York and the JAPANESE FOOD EXPO in Los Angeles, have been on the rise, and it seems that the supply and demand for Japanese food in the U.S. is growing more and more. We can find Japanese food in a supermarket almost wherever you go which shows Japanese food became a part of America's food society. However, the Japanese food that has become common in America is a single dish which can stand out the “taste of Japanese food" that is different from the tradition of the Japanese cuisine of one soup and three side dishes, even though the word "Washoku" (Japanese Food) has been designated an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
In the U.S., Sushi is the most popular food as Japanese food and is even available at supermarkets. The Ramen boom that began around 2000 has been accelerating, and Karaage, Tonkatsu, and Curry are also becoming established favorites.The recognition of Ramen as a dish in America was greatly boosted by the introduction of Nissin Foods' Cup Noodles in 1973, which was an instant ramen brand that became so well-known that it sparked a Ramen boom. On the other hand, I believe that the popularity of Japanese cuisine in this modern American society was largely influenced by media such as depiction in Japanese films, Manga and Anime. Even if that so, there are many other historical and unforgettable Japanese soul food that isn't yet in the list of popular Japanese food in America, so here as involving theJapanese cuisine restaurant in the U.S., I would like to introduce “Okonomiyaki”, a dish that I believe should be added to the lineup of popular Japanese foods in America in the future.
Do you know Okonomiyaki?
Okonomiyaki is a dish that has supported people's appetites since the impoverished times immediately after the war, when flour rationed in America was dissolved in water, pan fried thinly, and topped with spring onions and dried bonito flakes. It's simple yet gradually tasty took its journey as a taste for the common people, and the local flour culture has made it a dish with a long history that continues to this day.It is the food loved by many people in Japan, with local varieties available which are specialized in each county including Hiroshima and Osaka.
As the name suggests, all types of Okonomiyaki can be easily made using your favorite ingredients, but what they all have in common is that they use plenty of vegetables such as cabbage and green onions. It can contain meat, seafood and eggs, and by adding your favorite ingredients, it can become a nutritionally balanced, healthy and filling meal in one meal. At home, you can make it by changing the size and ingredients depending on the time of day and age, making it a menu that can been joyed by anyone, from children to the elderly.The appeal of Okonomiyaki is not only its nutritional balance, but also the fact that you can eat a large amount of vegetables in one go that would be difficult to eat in a raw vegetable salad, and still have a satisfying meal.
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese dish that has become increasingly popular around the world, and was even served G7 style at last year's G7 Hiroshima Summit.
Now, we should not forget about the sauce for the Okonomiyaki. Okonomiyaki sauce, which has been carefully crafted to match okonomiyaki, is an essential ingredient in the flavor of the dish. Top it with mayonnaise, bonito flakes, pickled red ginger, or green laver as you like in the end to complete the traditional way of the dish.
The origin of making Okonomiyaki sauce is "brewing vinegar"
The birth of Okonomiyaki sauce dates back about 100 years before the appearance of "Okonomiyaki Sauce." It began with the creation of Worcestershire sauce in the mid-19th century in the city of Worcestershire in the UK. As Western food culture began to flourish among the general public in Japan and Okonomiyaki became popular on the market, “Otafuku Worcestershire Sauce” was born in 1950. When "Otafuku Worcestershire Sauce" first went on sale, it was difficult to get it on the market because the company was a latecomer in the sauce industry at the time. However, the company began visiting food stalls and restaurants to let people try the product first-hand and found a way to improve their market. It had happened that during the visit, an Okonomiyaki restaurant revealed their concern that runny Worcestershire sauce would "run off the hot plate." After much trial and error to find a sauce that would go well with Okonomiyaki, “Otafuku Sauce” was born in 1952 that is based on the origin of the company as "Otafuku Vinegar," which was created after the company began producing vinegar.
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What is the key of the sauce for Okonomiyaki?
The most distinctive feature of okonomiyaki sauce is its thickness. The sauce presents the taste of Okonomiyaki because it does not easily run off the Okonomiyaki and mixes well with the ingredients, and is characterized by the sweetness and mellowness of the vegetables and fruits. When making the sauce, vegetable and fruit pulp (dietary fiber) and spice powders settle to the bottom, and this sediment is called "Ori" (solids), which contains Umami components such as nutrients and richness, and is the concentrated essence of the sauce itself that determines its flavor. Now you know about the history of how Okonomiyaki and Okonomiyaki sauce first met and developed, and the relationship between the two, from the time when Worcestershire sauce was the standard sauce in the market, and it makes us realized how the sauce makes sense to the taste of Okonomiyaki.The "KONAMON" boom is already happening all over the world, and while Takoyaki is also on the rise in popularity, the fun of being able to make Okonomiyaki freely using ingredients that suit the food culture is very appealing, and more than anything, I'm looking forward to the day when more people will get to know this one-of-a-kind, perfected taste in the world. If you are already inspired by Okonomiyaki and enthusiastic about its taste, you can make it yourself at home.
(*Please note that the Okonomiyaki ingredients in use here are just for one of the kinds of Okonomiyaki.)
Here You can check how to make Okonomiyaki on Youtube down below☟
Youtube: How to make Okonomiyaki
