Go Back
–+ servings
A futuristic Cyberpunk-style food photo. Tonpeiyaki (Japanese pork and cabbage omelet) is lying on a plate, sprinkled with sauces and toppings. Glowing red chopsticks lie next to it.
Print Recipe

Tonpeiyaki

A savory omelet stuffed with cabbage and bacon, and sprinkled with some of the best toppings Japan has to offer. Quick and easy to make, Tonpeiyaki is a great snack for two, or a meal for one.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 2 people

Equipment

  • 1 frying pan ~25 cm surface diameter

Ingredients

For the filling

  • 200 g white cabbage
  • 100 g bacon strips
  • 1 tsp dashi powder
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp neutral oil

For the omelet

  • 2 eggs medium to large
  • 1 tbsp corn starch or potato starch
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp neutral oil

Toppings

  • some Tonkatsu sauce store-bought
  • some Kewpie mayonnaise
  • some Aonori or thinly sliced scallions
  • some Katsuobushi

Instructions

Prepare the filling

  • Slice the cabbage into strips about 5mm wide, and about finger length.
  • Slice the bacon into bite-sized pieces.
  • If using scallions rather than Aonori, thinly slice and set aside for garnish at the end.
  • Mix the dashi, mirin, and soy sauce for the filling in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Heat up the oil for the filling in a pan over medium high heat.
  • Fry the bacon in it for 1-2 minutes, then add the sliced cabbage.
  • Sauté for about 5 minutes, until the cabbage is wilted.
  • Mix in the bowl of dashi, mirin, and soy sauce.
  • Thoroughly stir and transfer the filling to a bowl for later.
  • Wipe down the pan with a paper towel to prepare for the omelet.

Make the omelet

  • Crack the two eggs into a small bowl and beat until well-mixed.
  • In a separate bowl, mix starch, sake, and salt. Stir until all lumps are dissolved.
  • Pour the mixture into the beaten egg and mix briefly.
  • Add the oil for the omelet to the frying pan and put on medium low heat.
  • Pour the beaten eggs into the pan. Tilt the pan so they are distributed across the whole surface, as if you were making a pancake.
  • When the surface of the egg is still a little runny, turn off the heat.
  • Add the filling from earlier on top of the egg. Distribute it along a line the middle, like a hill from one side to the other. There should be an even amount of space to its left and right side. They will be folded to cover the filling over the next steps.
  • Lift one side of the omelet up with a spatula and flip it onto the filling to partially cover it.
  • Now it's time to move the Tonpeiyaki onto the surface on which it will be served, and finish folding it in the process. With the still round (non-folded) side first, slide the omelet out of the pan and flip the filling over it using a spatula from the other side. It should be a fast, but gentle motion. Both sides should now be tucked under the omelet, with the filling and a gap in the egg at the bottom.

Serve

  • Generously drizzle Tonkatsu sauce over it in a zig-zag motion.
  • Do the same with your Kewpie mayo.
  • Sprinkle with Aonori, then with Katsuobushi. Don't skimp, and enjoy!