okonomiyaki - japanese cabbage "pancakes" with shrimp

I took my first bite of these savory pancakes and thought...ummm...what did i just make?! i made this?! It's so delicious! Just from the list of ingredients I had no idea it would turn out this tasty. I found this recipe a while ago while looking for ways to use up cabbage (a common predicament), and had been meaning to give it a try. After making that slaw I still had quite a bit of cabbage left. Still do of the red variety.

The recipe is from Midge from Food52, and I altered it slightly to make just enough for myself for dinner. The good thing is if you have cabbage on hand, you probably have most other ingredients. Okay, maybe not the shrimp. I did buy that for the recipe. But the scallions could be substituted with onion, and you could use another kind of fish.

makes about six pancakes - double for 2-3 people

sauce:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 T soy sauce
1 tsp sriracha, more or less to taste

pancakes:
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 T white flour
1 cup cabbage, shredded with a mandoline or finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped

freshly grated ginger
1/3 cup (roughly) baby or chopped shrimp
canola oil for frying
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

1.Mix sauce and set aside: spoonful of mayo, some soy sauce and some hot sauce. 

2. Mix eggs, soy sauce, sesame oil and salt. Slowly whisk in flour, then add in cabbage, scallions, ginger, and shrimp. Mix together. 

3. Heat oil in a pan on medium, fry pancakes. sprinkle with sesame before you flip. Cook about 3 minutes each side, or until brown and crispy.

 recipe from food 52