What is monjayaki?
Monjayaki is one of Japan's traditional dishes, especially popular in the downtown areas of Tokyo.
It is typically made by mixing water, flour, dashi broth, and various ingredients such as cabbage, mochi (rice cake), cheese, and squid.
The mixture is then spread thinly on a griddle, fried, and eaten by scraping it with a small spatula.
Properly cooked monjayaki is crunchy on the outside and mushy and creamy on the inside.
The origin of monjayaki dates back to the period of food shortages after World War II.
At that time, people used to cook food with small amounts of flour mixed with vegetables and leftovers, to save on ingredients.
Today, monjayaki is loved as one of Tokyo's most popular gourmet foods.
Varieties of monjayaki
The types of ingredients used in monjayaki vary from restaurant to restaurant.
Below are some typical combinations of ingredients.
Mentaiko monja (monja with spicy cod roe)
A monjayaki with spicy and flavorful mentaiko (spicy cod roe).
It has a creamy yet tangy taste.
Cheese monja
Plenty of cheese is used to create a monjayaki with a delightful melting texture and flavor.
It is a popular menu among both children and adults.
Mochi (rice cake) and cheese monja
A combination of mochi (rice cake), a traditional Japanese ingredient, and cheese is used to create a chewy texture and cheesy flavor.
The addition of mentaiko makes mentai-mochi-cheese monja, a popular menu at many monjayaki restaurants.
Seafood monja
A monjayaki made with luxurious amounts of squid, shrimp, and other seafood to give the delicious taste of seafood.
Kimchi monja (monja with spicy Korean pickle)
This monjayaki is characterized by its Korean-style seasoning and kimchi (spicy Korean pickle), which gives a spicy flavor.
It is characterized by the sour and spicy taste of kimchi.
How to make monjayaki
A typical method of preparing monjayaki is explained below.
Some restaurants cook the food right in front of you, while others allow customers to mix the provided batter and ingredients and fry it themselves.
First, the batter is prepared by mixing flour, water, and dashi broth.
The ratios can greatly affect the texture of monjayaki.
Other ingredients are then prepared by cutting them according to order, such as cabbage, squid, shrimp, mochi (rice cake), cheese, and more into small pieces.
Next, the griddle is greased and heated to the appropriate temperature.
The iron griddles used for monjayaki are generally very hot, so cooking with an even heat is important.
Once the griddle is sufficiently hot, the ingredients are stir-fried.
While stir-frying, pay attention to the amount of heat and how the ingredients are cooked.
When cooked, the ingredients are formed to make a doughnut shape on the griddle.
The batter is then poured into the hole.
It is important to not let the batter flow out through the gaps between the ingredients.
When the batter begins to firm up slightly, the ingredients and batter are mixed together.
The way they are mixed during this step determines the texture of the monjayaki.
Skilled chefs are able to mix quickly and evenly.
The mixture is then spread to the appropriate thickness to further fry.
A properly-cooked monjayaki is crispy on the outside and mushy and creamy on the inside.
How to eat monjayaki
There is no strictly set way to eat monjayaki, but it is typically eaten with a small spatula when ready.
Eat as is
Using a small spatula, scrape the monjayaki by little and bring it straight to your mouth.
Be careful not to burn yourself as it can be hot.
Press against griddle and eat
You can also press the mixture against the griddle after scraping it with the small spatula.
This way, the surface gets slightly burned, and you can enjoy the savory flavor.
Eat with toppings
You may add toppings such as sauce, aonori (green laver), and bonito flakes if you wish.
This allows you to discover and enjoy different flavors.
