T
his Japanese vegetable fritterâs name literally translates as âcooked as you like itâ, which is perhaps the most important thing you should know about
okonomiyaki. Though sold in restaurants, stalls and convenience stores, itâs also easy to make at home: chef Ivan Orkin dubs it âa clean-out-the-fridge-franken-pancakeâ, which, âas you might guessâ, is âusually something you scarf down during a night of drinkingâ. Quick, simple and gratifyingly substantial, as well as infinitely adaptable, it also happens to be ideal for those times when you think you have nothing much to eat; I can confirm from experience that even badly made okonomiyaki tastes good. But how do you make a great one?