Kyabetsu Yaki is a Japanese grilled cabbage pancake with a thin, slightly chewy yet crispy base, topped with cabbage and egg, then folded like an omelet. This easy-to-make savory street food is perfect for a quick meal or satisfying snack.
Table of Contents
What is Kyabetsu Yaki?
Kyabetsu Yaki, a lesser-known gem of Osaka, is a simple dish made with just flour, cabbage and eggs. Unlike Osaka’s more famous flour-based dishes like okonomiyaki and takoyaki, this grilled cabbage pancake focuses on the natural sweetness of cabbage. It’s quick to prepare and uses ingredients you probably have at home, making it a perfect snack or light meal.
Ingredients and Substitutions
To make cabbage yaki, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cabbage: Any green cabbage can be used. I recommend Taiwanese flat cabbage (also known as Taiwanese cabbage) because it’s quick cooking, mild and slightly sweet.
- Flour: I like to use a mix of all purpose flour and rice flour. The rice flour makes the outside extra crispy!
- Dashi: Homemade stock or granules. You can also use shiro dashi or mentsuyu (noodle soup base). You can omit it entirely if you dont have it and add 1 tsp of soy sauce or a few shakes of msg or salt instead.
- Egg
- Optional add-ins: beni shoga (pickled ginger), tenkasu (tempura scraps), cheese and green onion
For serving, you’ll need okonomiyaki sauce and kewpie mayo. You can also use takoyaki sauce or tonkatsu sauce.
How to Make Grilled Cabbage Pancake
The beauty of this dish is just how quick and easy it is to make! Here’s a brief overview of how to prepare this savory dish:
- Prepare the Cabbage: Finely slice the cabbage, rinse and drain well.
- Prepare the batter: In a bowl, mix flour, water, and dashi granules to create a smooth batter.
- Cook pancake: Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly.
- Add cabbage and egg: Top with shredded cabbage, leaving a small space in the center, then crack an egg into the middle.
- Cook: Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and steam until the cabbage softens and the egg white is cooked.
- Flip and serve: Carefully fold the pancake, drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayo, fold in half, and serve hot.
VIDEO: Watch How to Make It
Lisa’s Recipe Tips
- Customize your toppings: Feel free to add toppings like cheese or pork for a heartier meal.
- Perfect texture: For a crispy texture on the edges, make sure to use a bit more oil and cook on medium-low heat.
- Egg cooking tips: If you like your eggs runny, leave them whole, or scramble them for a softer texture.
Variations
Cabbage pancakes can be arranged in various ways by adding additional ingredients inside! Here are some recommendations:
- Tenkasu
- Cheese
- Pork
- Bacon
- Natto
- Kimchi
- Squid
- Shrimp
Serving Suggestions
Cabbage yaki can be served in many ways. Here are a few ideas:
- As a light dinner: Pair it with a simple soup like miso soup or a side of rice for a complete meal.
- As a snack or appetizer: It’s perfect for enjoying with drinks at an izakaya-style gathering or as a quick snack.
- With pickled vegetables: Add a side of pickled ginger or other pickled vegetables like spiral picked cucumbers to enhance the flavor and add a tangy contrast to the savory pancake.
- Add a protein: Top with thinly sliced pork, beef or cheese to make it more filling.
How to Store Leftovers
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Kyabetsu yaki is best enjoyed fresh, but it can be kept for up to 1-2 days. Reheat in a pan or microwave until heated through. Note that the texture may change slightly upon reheating.
Recipe FAQ
While this dish is best enjoyed fresh, you can prepare the batter and chop the cabbage in advance. When ready to serve, cook the pancakes and add the egg and toppings.
Yes, simply omit the egg and add in any additional ingredients you’d like!
You can swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend or rice flour to make it suitable for a gluten-free diet.
Kyabetsu yaki is a simpler version of okonomiyaki, where cabbage and egg are cooked in a thin flour batter. Okonomiyaki, on the other hand, has a much greater variety of ingredients and variations, often including meats, seafood, and vegetables mixed into the batter.
Tonpeiyaki features pork and cabbage wrapped in a thin layer of egg, while kyabetsu yaki uses a thin flour batter to cook cabbage and egg in a pancake-like style.
More Recipes for Izakaya Night
- Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
- Super Crispy Chicken Breast Karaage
- Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)
- Yamitsuki Cabbage (Addictive Cabbage)
- Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
- Nikumaki Onigiri (Meat Wrapped Rice Balls)
- Japanese Potato Salad
- Agedashi Tofu (Japanese Deep Fried Tofu)
- Hiyayakko (Japanese Cold Tofu)
Enjoy! If you make this Japanese Grilled Cabbage Pancake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below, and if you share it on social media, tag me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen. I can’t wait to see your creations!
Print
Japanese Cabbage Pancake (Kyabetsu Yaki)
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
Kyabetsu Yaki is a Japanese grilled cabbage pancake with a thin, slightly chewy yet crispy base, topped with cabbage and egg, then folded like an omelet. This easy-to-make savory street food is perfect for a quick meal or satisfying snack.
Ingredients
- 1/6 (150 g) cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (20 g) all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (10 g) rice flour, potato starch or additional flour
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1/2 tsp dashi granules or 1 tsp shiro dashi
- 1 large eggs
Optional Add-ins:
- tenkasu (fried batter bits)
- benishoga (pickled ginger)
- cheese
- thinly sliced pork
- scallions
For Serving:
- mayonnaise
- okonomiyaki sauce
- aonori
- katsuobushi
- benishoga
Instructions
- Prep the cabbage: Shred or thinly slice the cabbage.
- Prepare the batter: In a bowl, combine flour, rice flour (or starch), water, and dashi granules (or shiro dashi) to make the batter.
- Cook the pancake: Heat oil in a 10 inch pan over medium heat. Once hot, pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Add the shredded cabbage, leaving a small space in the center. Crack in 1–2 eggs (leave them whole or scramble, as preferred). Add any optional toppings such as tenkasu, benishoga, cheese, thinly sliced pork, or scallions.
- Steam: Cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the the egg is cooked to your desired doneness. If adding meat, make sure it’s fully cooked through. You can flip the pancake to lightly char the cabbage, if desired.
- Fold: Once cooked, fold the pancake in half. If you flipped it, flip it back one more time before folding.
- Serve: Drizzle generously with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, then top with aonori, katsuobushi, and benishoga. Enjoy!!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
I always have cabbage on hand and this is my favourite way to eat it now!