Recipe
"Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake" - Natto gets even better when cooked! Pan-fried to be crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside
Ingredients
- 1pack natto (with sauce packet)
- 1.5bowls cooked rice
- 2shiso leaves
- 2raw eggs (1 for the batter, 1 for topping)
- Choppedgreen onions, to taste
- Sesameoil, a generous amount
- Ponzusauce, for dipping
About "Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake"
"Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake" is a unique twist on classic natto rice, pan-fried to perfection. By mixing natto, rice, egg, shiso, and green onions, then frying them in sesame oil, you get a crispy exterior and a gooey interior. Cooking the natto enhances its savory aroma, creating a brand-new way to enjoy natto rice served with refreshing ponzu sauce.
Introduction to 動画 de 食堂とだか 料理人・戸高雄平 →
Tips for Making "Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake"
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Prep
- Mix the natto thoroughly inside its packet before adding it to the bowl. Mixing well at this stage is crucial to unlock its full potential.
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Ingredients
- Adding shiso leaves introduces a refreshing aroma to the natto flavor, greatly improving the overall balance. While optional, it is highly recommended.
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Binder
- Adding and mixing in one raw egg creates a nice stickiness and cohesion, making it much easier to shape when pan-frying.
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Frying
- Pan-fry in a generous amount of sesame oil. Cooking the natto significantly enhances its aroma. It is important to fry it thoroughly until the outside is crispy.
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Heat Control
- Flip the pancake dynamically with a toss of the pan. Getting both sides beautifully browned achieves the perfect contrast of a crispy exterior and a fluffy interior.
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Finishing
- Place an egg yolk in the center and serve with ponzu sauce for dipping. Breaking and mixing the yolk adds a rich creaminess for an even deeper flavor.
Ingredients for "Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake"
7 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
How to Make "Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake"
- 1
Mix the natto thoroughly inside its packet.
- 2
Place 1.5 bowls of cooked rice in a bowl and add the mixed natto.
- 3
Add the sauce packet included with the natto.
- 4
Finely chop 2 shiso leaves and sprinkle them in along with some green onions.
- 5
Gently fold everything together using a spatula.
- 6
Crack in 1 raw egg and mix thoroughly to create a sticky, cohesive batter.
- 7
Heat a generous amount of sesame oil in a frying pan.
- 8
Pour the entire mixture into the pan all at once.
- 9
Shape it into a flat, round pancake using the back of a spoon.
- 10
Once one side is beautifully browned and fragrant, flip it over with a toss of the pan.
- 11
Cook the other side thoroughly until it is also nicely browned.
- 12
Transfer to a cutting board and slice radially, just like cutting an okonomiyaki.
- 13
Arrange the sliced pieces on a serving plate.
- 14
Scatter chopped green onions over the top and place an egg yolk in the center.
- 15
Serve with ponzu sauce on the side for dipping.
Food Science
Heating causes the natto, rice, and egg to undergo the Maillard reaction, resulting in a fragrant, beautifully browned exterior. Additionally, the thermal coagulation of the egg binds the batter together, creating a texture that is crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Furthermore, the rich umami component (glutamic acid) in natto, combined with the acidity and saltiness of the ponzu sauce, balances the five basic tastes, bringing out a satisfying flavor that you will never tire of.
Detailed Commentary on "Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
A New Way to Enjoy the Rich Aroma of Natto
Today, we introduce 'Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake,' a dramatic evolution of the classic natto rice. Chef Todaka highly recommends this dish, saying, 'Natto becomes even more delicious when cooked!' While natto rice is typically eaten by simply placing natto on warm rice, this recipe mixes everything together and pan-fries it. Cooking the natto releases its unique, savory aroma all at once, creating a delightful new texture that is crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside. Using familiar ingredients, this surprising and creative dish offers an entirely new flavor and texture experience.
Simple Ingredients and Choosing the Right Natto
The ingredients are incredibly simple and easy to find at home. You will need 1 pack of natto (with sauce, no mustard), 1.5 bowls of cooked rice, 2 shiso leaves, 1 raw egg (plus 1 more for topping), chopped green onions, sesame oil, and ponzu sauce for dipping. Chef Todaka says he doesn't have a strict preference for the natto brand: 'Any kind from the supermarket works fine.' However, he sometimes chooses based on texture (like ground or whole beans) or if it comes with a specific dashi sauce like kelp dashi. For this recipe, we use small-bean natto and balance the overall aroma by pairing it with aromatics like shiso and green onions.
Making the Batter to Unlock Natto's Potential
First, place 1.5 bowls of cooked rice in a bowl. Add the natto, which has been thoroughly mixed beforehand inside its packet. Chef Todaka recommends mixing it well before adding to 'fully unlock the potential of the natto.' Once the natto is in, add the included sauce packet, then sprinkle in 2 finely chopped shiso leaves and some green onions. The shiso adds a refreshing aroma to the natto's flavor, beautifully balancing the entire dish. While you can make this without shiso, it is highly recommended as it elevates the aroma significantly. Gently fold these ingredients together with a spatula.
Adding Egg for Cohesion and the Reason to Fry
Once everything is mixed, crack in 1 raw egg. Mix thoroughly again, using the egg to bind the ingredients and create a nice, sticky cohesion. When Chef Todaka tastes it at this stage, he smiles and says, 'It's already delicious just like this!' But the real magic starts now. Explaining why he chooses to pan-fry it, he passionately shares, 'Natto's aroma intensifies beautifully when cooked. I really want natto lovers to experience this savory fragrance.' Frying transforms both the appearance and taste into a dish completely different from your usual natto rice.
Pan-Frying to Crispy Perfection with Sesame Oil
Heat a frying pan and add a generous amount of sesame oil. Pour the entire mixture in at once, and use the back of a spoon to shape it into a flat, round pancake. As it cooks, the savory aroma of sesame oil and natto fills the air, making it feel just like making okonomiyaki. Since there are no spatulas in his restaurant kitchen, Chef Todaka flips it dynamically with a toss of the pan. Don't worry if it loses its shape slightly; you can easily reshape it with a spoon. Fry it thoroughly until the outside is crispy, while keeping the inside fluffy and gooey.
Okonomiyaki-Style Slicing and Presentation
Once both sides are beautifully browned, transfer the pancake to a cutting board. Use a knife to slice it radially, just like cutting an okonomiyaki. Looking at the cross-section, the outside is crisped and set, while the inside retains the fluffiness of the rice and the gooeyness of the natto, looking incredibly appetizing. Carefully arrange the sliced pieces on a plate, then add the final toppings. Scatter finely chopped green onions all over for a pop of color, and place an egg yolk right in the center. With that, the 'Okonomi Natto Rice Pancake'—looking like okonomiyaki but filled with natto rice—is complete.
Crispy Outside, Gooey Inside! A Rich Tasting
Now, it's finally time to taste the finished dish. Since it resembles a negiyaki (scallion pancake), we serve it with ponzu sauce instead of regular okonomiyaki sauce. Lifting a piece with chopsticks, the exterior is firm enough to hold easily. Taking a bite, it's highly praised: 'Crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and wonderfully gooey—absolutely delicious!' Breaking the egg yolk in the center and dipping the pancake into it adds a rich creaminess, elevating the flavor to another level. Although Chef Todaka doesn't drink alcohol, he notes, 'This would go perfectly with beer, and it's amazing with cola too,' highlighting its excellence as a snack.
Perfect for Breakfast or Snacks: A Versatile Dish
Chef Todaka reflects, 'This is so simple, and it's wonderful that you can make it using only ingredients you already have at home.' When you're tired of having the same old natto rice, or when kids complain about having it again, serving it pan-fried like this will surely delight them, making them think, 'Okonomiyaki for breakfast?!' It is a highly versatile dish that works great for breakfast, as a late-night snack with drinks, or even as the grand finale of an okonomiyaki party. Anyone can easily make this with just a frying pan, so please try this exquisite contrast of a crispy exterior and gooey interior at home!
About 動画 de 食堂とだか 料理人・戸高雄平
動画 de 食堂とだか 料理人・戸高雄平
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