Okonomiyaki-Style Deruny (Ukrainian × Japanese)

Method

1. Peel the potatoes, grate them on the fine side of a box grater into a sieve, and press with a spoon to squeeze the juice into a bowl below. Leave for 3 min, pour off the liquid and stir the starch from the bottom back into the potato. Work quickly, as grated potato browns fast in the air.

   Add in this stepFloury potatoes 500 g

2. Shred the cabbage very finely (2 mm thick, 2 cm long) and slice the spring onions. Add the cabbage, spring onions, eggs, flour, dashi powder and salt to the potato and mix well. The cabbage makes them fluffier and sweeter than classic deruny.

   Add in this stepCabbage 120 gSpring onions 2Eggs 1Plain (all-purpose) flour 3 tbspInstant dashi powder ½ tspSalt ½ tsp

3. Pour half the oil into a 24 cm pan to a depth of 4–5 mm and heat over medium-high heat for 2 min. When a drop of batter sizzles immediately (about 170 °C), you are ready.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil for frying 40 ml

   medium-high heat

4. Spoon in the batter, shape into rounds about 10 cm across and 1.5 cm thick, and cover the top with a layer of pork belly. Fry over medium heat for 4 min until golden underneath, turn carefully, then fry the pork side for the same time until the meat is crisp and fully cooked (no pink left). Fry in batches, 2×2 (batches × pancakes), topping up with the remaining oil each time. Use two spatulas and turn them away from you so the oil doesn't splash.

   Add in this stepThinly sliced pork belly 80 gNeutral oil for frying 40 ml

   medium heat

5. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, plate, brush with tonkatsu sauce and zigzag with mayonnaise. Top with bonito flakes, aonori and pickled ginger and serve at once; the flakes dance in the heat.

   Add in this stepTonkatsu sauce (or okonomiyaki sauce) 3 tbspMayonnaise 2 tbspBonito flakes (katsuobushi) 2 gAonori (green seaweed flakes) 1 tspPickled red ginger (beni shoga) 10 g