Tokyo Cabbage Griddle Pancake (Monjayaki)
もんじゃ焼き MonjayakiSay it: mon-jah-YAH-kee
Monjayaki is Tokyo's loose, saucy griddle pancake, beloved in Tsukishima where dozens of restaurants specialize in it. A very thin dashi-and-flour batter is poured into a ring of chopped cabbage, pork, squid, tenkasu and pickled ginger, then chopped together on a hot iron plate. Unlike firm okonomiyaki, it stays soft and runny, with crisp, caramelized edges to scrape up. Diners eat it straight from the griddle with tiny spatulas. It tastes savory, briny and just a little tangy, with a satisfying mix of textures.
Tokyo Cabbage Griddle Pancake (Monjayaki)
もんじゃ焼き, Monjayaki
Pronounced mon-jah-YAH-kee
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, egg, fish, soy. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Batter
Griddle ingredients
To serve
Method
Whisk the flour, dashi, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce in a bowl until smooth. The batter should be very thin and pourable, more like cream than pancake batter; set aside.
Toss the cabbage, pork belly, squid, tenkasu, beni shoga and scallions in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and set out the aonori, bonito flakes, mayonnaise and extra Worcestershire sauce.
Heat a large flat cast-iron skillet or electric griddle over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates. Brush lightly with vegetable oil.
Add one portion of the cabbage mixture and shape it into a loose ring about 6 inches (15 cm) wide, leaving a well in the center. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the cabbage begins to soften and smell sweet.
Pour one-quarter of the batter (about 3/4 cup/180 ml) into the well. Let it bubble and spread for 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges set but the center is still wet.
Using two spatulas, chop the ring into the batter and fold everything together, scraping up browned bits, until you have a loose, saucy mound. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, pressing lightly, until the bottom is lightly browned and crisp in spots and the top is still glossy.
Scatter one-quarter of the aonori and bonito flakes over the monjayaki, drizzle with mayonnaise and extra Worcestershire sauce, and eat directly from the skillet with small spatulas, scraping up the crisp edges. Repeat with the remaining three portions.
Regional variants
Popular Tsukishima variations add mentaiko (spicy cod roe), mochi and cheese to the ring before the batter goes in; adjust the Worcestershire and soy sauce if using salty mentaiko.
Cook's notes
- Keep the batter very thin; it should pour easily and look more like cream than pancake batter.
- Chop the cabbage finely so it softens quickly and blends into the loose texture.
- Use a flat, heavy griddle or cast-iron skillet and two spatulas; the saucy, scraped-together texture is the point.
Serve with
Eat straight from the griddle with small spatulas, with cold beer or barley tea alongside.
Make ahead and storage
The chopped cabbage mixture and batter can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator; stir the batter well before cooking. Cooked monjayaki is best eaten immediately and does not reheat well.
