Use It or Lose It - Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese pancake, the name literally translates to "Things you like, fried". A traditional okonomiyaki is made with eggs, cabbage, flour, broth, and desired additions.
A few days ago, I tried to make a stuffed cabbage casserole. The result was mostly rice with some ham and cabbage. It wasn't very good, so I put it in the fridge.
This is my main leftover ingredient. I decided on okonomiyaki because of the cabbage. I chopped the cabbage that was already in the dish, and went from there. Since flour is typically used as a binder, I decided the sticky cold brown rice would do just as well.

My Okonomiyaki
(makes 12 pancakes)

2 cups leftover brown rice
2 cups chopped cabbage
1/2 cup chopped ham or cooked bacon
6 eggs

Ingredients of choice, prepared to fold into batter
(this can be ANYTHING. I used mushrooms, onions, garlic, and extra ham.)
Butter for frying

1/2 cup mayonnaise, in a pastry/ziplock bag
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce, or Heinz 57 sauce in a pastry/ziplock bag

Combine the first 4 ingredients, and fold in your additional ingredients. It should have the consistency of thick pancake batter. If it's too thick, add a little water.
Preheat a skillet to medium heat. For each pancake, melt 1/4 tbsp of butter in the pan and add 1/2 cup of batter. Don't make them too big, they will fall apart. Also, don't cover them. The moisture needs to evaporate, or else it will get soggy. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then flip.


If you are making okonomiyaki in bulk, prepare a greased cookie sheet and store your finished pancakes in a 200 degree oven while you work.

Snip a small hole in your sauce bags and pipe the mayonnaise and sauce onto the finished cake in any design you choose.