The Vegetable-Packed, Endlessly Versatile Recipe That Feeds My Family of Five

They say necessity is the mother of invention. But often, desperation plays a part, too. The year that we all want to forget, 2020, was confronting in many ways, but for me, like for many home cooks, it came with the pressure and shock of having to cook three meals a day for a family of five. The sheer amount of ingredients that this task requires is astounding, but when faced with empty supermarket aisles and scarce supermarket delivery slots, the panic becomes real. I realized very early on that I had to get smarter with my shopping and my cooking. I had to choose ingredients that were adaptable and vegetables that could be rationed over several meals, had a long fridge pantry life, and could be used in many ways. I turned to cabbage and kimchi.

Cabbage became my pandemic pantry hero, and remains so post-lockdown. It is both endlessly adaptable and surprisingly generous. I worked out that I could fashion at least three or maybe even four meals from one large cabbage. I would use half for an abundant stir-fried noodle dish or sliced into wedges to braise with lentils or chickpeas, and then the other half would be split again, a portion used to make a raw cabbage salad and the rest for okonomiyaki. 

Okonomiyaki is a savory pancake from Japan and while its construction varies from region to region, it is regarded as the ultimate adaptable dish — in Japanese, okonomi means “how you like it” or “what you like” and yaki means “grill.” My recipe, conceived during lockdown, features the untraditional addition of kimchi, an ingredient which I relied on heavily during this time to add fast flavor to dishes. It’s perfect in this okonomiyaki, adding a salty tang with a hint of spice that awakens the palate. There are many varieties of kimchi on the market, but for the best texture, opt for a napa cabbage kimchi (and a vegan one if you are plant-based like me) which combines seamlessly with the shredded cabbage. 

The best thing about getting to know an okonomiyaki recipe well is that it opens the door to a world of culinary possibilities. As its Japanese name suggests, you can make it your own by using the leftover vegetables stranded in your fridge drawer. Coarsely chopped broccoli or cauliflower, shaved Brussels sprouts, grated carrots or zucchini, even thawed frozen peas can be incorporated into the batter. 

While this dish was born from economy and practicality, it is still indulgent and comforting. In our post lockdown world, this is exactly the type of unfussy and delicious vegetable-forward meal I want to cook for my family. Most of all, this dish is a reminder of human resilience and joy that can be found in simplicity.