Savory Cabbage Pancakes
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Savory Japanese-style cabbage and seafood pancakes mixing eggs with flour and soy for body. Sizzle of bacon lardons with crisped edges and onions softening into sweet background. Shrimp folded in last minute, just turning opaque. Cooked as thick discs, gold crusts crackle on pan, edges curling slightly. Topped with flaky dried seaweed powder; drizzle tangy Japanese mayo and dark, sweet tonkatsu sauce for punch. Bonito flakes dance in heat, smoky and umami-rich scents rising. Balance of crunchy, tender, and savory layers. Practical tweak swaps regular soy for tamari, adds twist of grated ginger to counterbalance fattiness. Timing relies on appearance, aroma, and texture cues more than exact minutes. Good for 2 hungry mouths or 4 nibblers.
Prep:
18 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
30 min
Servings:
2 plates or 4 starters
#Japanese fusion
#seafood pancakes
#savory snacks
#quick meals
#bacon recipes
Cabbage plus egg batter, folded with salty streaky bacon and tender shrimp, folded in for texture. Once tried frying it too hot—the edges scorched before center set. Lesson learned: medium heat and patience. The sizzle when cabbage hits hot oil tells you it’s starting to soften and the smell is like crackling pork fat in the morning. The layering of contrasts is what sets this apart: crunchy cabbage, chewy shrimp, crispy lardons, fluffy egg. The bonito flakes? Not just decoration—they flutter in the heat, releasing smoky aroma that pulls everything together. Tried swapping flour for cornstarch last time; too crumbly. Stick to unbleached flour, keeps the bind firm yet tender.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 50 ml (3½ tbsp) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 5 ml (1 tsp) tamari soy sauce
- 1 scallion, finely sliced
- 230 ml (just under 1 cup) finely shredded green cabbage
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 55 g (2 oz) streaky bacon, diced
- 25 ml (1½ tbsp) canola oil
- 6 medium shrimp, peeled, cut into 1 cm chunks
- 2.5 ml (½ tsp) powdered dried seaweed or finely chopped nori flakes
- Japanese or regular mayonnaise, to taste
- Tonkatsu sauce, for drizzling
- Bonito flakes, to finish
About the ingredients
Eggs, you want fresh for best fluff and bite. Tamari over regular soy adds depth and less salt shock—good if you hate things too salty. Bacon is king here, but you can swap to pancetta or even turkey bacon, though flavor will shift—milder and less fatty. Cabbage finely shredded because big chunks won’t soften fast enough, it’ll be raw in the center if cooking time kept short. Shrimp size matters; medium or smaller is ideal—larger shrimp take longer and risk overcooking outside. Oil choice is canola for neutral flavor and high smoke point; olive oil can talk too much on heat. Seaweed powder adds mineral freshness; if none, use finely shredded nori sheets. Mayonnaise: make it Japanese style if you can, it nails perfect balance of sweet and tangy with eggs. Tonkatsu sauce is sweet-spicy umami bomb but Worcestershire sauce mixed with ketchup and soy works in pinch. Bonito flakes can hide in the pantry long but must be kept dry and weekly refreshed.
Method
- Whisk eggs lightly in a bowl; stir in flour and tamari until just mixed with no lumps. Fold in sliced scallion last to keep freshness intact.
- Heat half the oil in nonstick pan over medium heat. Toss in cabbage, shallot, and bacon bits. Sauté until cabbage softens and translucency appears; about 6 minutes—not browned, but losing crunch. Then add shrimp chunks. Cook 90 seconds, till shrimp turn opaque but not rubbery. Remove from heat and drain any excess fat if crazy greasy. Fold this mix into egg batter gently.
- Wipe pan clean. Medium heat again, add remaining oil. Pour all batter forming 1 cm thick disk. Spread evenly but don’t fuss with edges. Cook about 3 minutes—edges golden and set, center slightly jiggly but not wet. Flip carefully; cook another 1–1½ minutes. Test done by poking center; should spring back slightly, not collapse or feel raw.
- Transfer to board; cut into wedges or squares while hot, splash wavering aromas will rise. Dust with seaweed powder liberally; drizzle mayo in thin ribbons followed by zigzags of tonkatsu sauce. Scatter bonito flakes on top; watch them dance in the residual heat.
- Eat immediately. If left too long, pancakey texture gets gummy and flakes lose their movement. Reheating? Gentle skillet warm only, no microwave.
- Substitute idea: use smoked salmon chunks instead of shrimp for smoky marine notes—drop bacon if doing this to avoid competing fats. For spicy kick, mix 1 tsp grated ginger or a pinch of shichimi pepper into batter.
Cooking tips
Focus on texture over clock times. Egg batter needs no over mixing or gluten develops tough chew. When veggies hit the pan, heat should be steady medium, not high; cooking slow lets cabbage translucency show and releases sweet aromatics. Shrimp cooks fast—don’t let them go rubbery or you’ll lose nuance. Oil divide and clean pan trick works wonders—first fry soft ingredients in fat rendered from bacon, second batch cooks batter from clean, oiled surface so pancake doesn’t stick and browns evenly. Flip gently with wide spatula, no rough shoves. Thickness crucial: too thin = burnt, too thick = raw. Resting on cutting board cuts ammonia from seafood but also cools internally; serve right after slicing. I skip flipping if pan surfaces well, but half cook then finish under broiler is an option if frying is tricky. Watch bonite flakes as thermometer: they dance only if pancake is just right hot. Mayonnaise and tonkatsu drizzled after cooking keeps textures sharp and prevents sogginess.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start eggs whisked just lightly. Too much no good—gluten builds chewy choke. Fold scallions last. Keeps brightness crisp; prevents soggy batter.
- 💡 Oil split trick helps texture. First render bacon fat with cabbage and shallot on medium low. Slow softening, not browning. Adds fat, flavor. Then wipe pan clean; fresh oil for batter fry. Pancake bakes neat, gold crust forms evenly.
- 💡 Shrimp size matters for texture. Medium recommended. Larger means longer cook, risk rubber shell. Add last to veggies, 90 seconds tops. Opaque is done; avoid gray or dry edges.
- 💡 Thickness critical. About 1 cm if thinner edges burn before center sets. Spill batter uneven and edges crisp hard. Too thick leaves raw inside. Watch center jiggle for doneness signal; firm but springy.
- 💡 Seaweed powder or nori flakes dust after slicing. Adds mineral freshness. If none, skip or finely chop sheets. Mayo drizzle—Japanese mayo best, sweet tang cuts bacon fat. Tonkatsu sauce glossy zigzags, smoky punch. Bonito flakes finish heat dance—watch them twitch.
Common questions
How to tell when pancakes are done?
Edges golden and set, not black. Center jiggle but not wet or raw. Poke for bounce. Bonito flakes twitch if heat right. Smell sweet cabbage fat, shrimp scent. No exact time—eye and nose guide.
Can I replace shrimp?
Yes, smoked salmon chunks swap well. Drop bacon if salmon in. Fat overload otherwise. Crab meat works too; leftovers of cooked seafood. Flavor shakes up, adjust ginger or shichimi if spicy needed.
Pancakes turned gummy after reheating, why?
Reheat only skillet low heat, no microwave. Microwave heats uneven, makes coating soggy gummy. Pancake starches and egg react badly to nukes. Heat gently restores crisp.
Best oil alternatives?
Canola preferred for neutral flavor and high smoke point. Olive oil talks too much under heat, burns. Sesame oil half mix can add smoky note. Avoid butter or low smoke fats or risk smoke and bitter flavor.
