Tuesday 2 July 2013

I could never let you go.


On Valentine's day this year my 12yo was asked to write a Valentine's day poem in his English class.

Most children wrote to their mums.

This is what my son wrote.


I love how this kid sees the world.

He looks at things his way on his terms.

He thinks deep & feels deep too.

It hasn't been easy forging his way with that.

Some of the things he has had to deal with have been beyond hard but he kicked on through.

Along the way he has chosen great mates and stuck at what really counts- being himself.

He became a teenager on Friday.

This kid makes me immensely proud.

Gourmet Girlfriend's Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake):
I guess after the poem above, this really should be a bacon recipe! 
While this doesn't have bacon, it does use Pork.....- I used the leftovers from the Pulled pork I made using this recipe.
There are probably VERY strict rules about what constitutes authentic Okonimiyaki but I tend to use the term loosely and see it as a fabulous opportunity to experiment and a great way to use leftovers.
'Okonomi' as I understand it means - 'What you want'. Totally my kind of cooking- take ingredients and make them yours!
Mine tend to always have lots of cabbage ( i LOVE the stuff and find any excuse to put it in anything), but apart from that it is different everytime.  You can add whatever you like!
Mr Girlfriend is responsible for introducing me to this wonderfully easy and delicious dish after eating it in Japan- although apparently mine have a lot less batter than the ones he has eaten.  I prefer LOADS of veggies and not so much batter (just enough to hold it together), I guess it comes down to personal preference.
It is a great breakfast dish.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 bunch fresh coriander (half to put in batter & set aside half for topping)
  • handfull pulled pork - (i cooked this for the birthday boy and had leftovers) 
  • 1/4 head of cabbage shredded
  • spring onion, sliced finely
  • 1 carrot julienned
  • kewpie mayo
  • bulldog sauce (Japanese Tonkatsu sauce- avail at Asian Grocer)
  • rice bran oil for frying
METHOD:

Crack egg into large bowl and add flour and water, mix well to make a batter.
Now add the veggies & pulled pork.
I use a fork to combine all the ingredients until coated with batter.
My mix has very little batter but is coated- how much batter comes down to personal preference.

Heat a non stick pan to medium heat & add a teaspoon Rice bran oil.

Now add a good ladle full of the Okonomiyaki batter.

Fry till nicely browned and flip carefully using an egg flip.

Fry other side and remove onto a plate.

Add a good drizzle of Kewpie mayo and Bulldog sauce on top in wavy lines across the top of the pancake and a generous sprinkling of Fresh Coriander.

Serve.

6 comments:

  1. That is the best poem I've ever seen. Seriously.

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  2. Love free thinkers and bacon.

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  3. Great Poem ,at least your son speaks from the heart and knows what he likes and that's the best thing when you are a teenager I feel,faith in yourself and what YOU like.
    The Japanese Okonomiyaki looks lovely ,I can't believe how much time you put into your food Ruth I am amazed in a good way with 5 children you still have passion for cooking and I love that!

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  4. And you should be proud Ruth! It sounds, & looks, like your raising an awesome human being & we all know the world needs more awesome-ness!

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  5. I can't tell you how much I love that poem. Pure brilliance. xo

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  6. I htink we all feel a bit like that about bacon (and darling, clever sons). x

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