If you want to make an easy Japanese-style teppan dish with thinly sliced pork belly and cabbage, Tonpeiyaki is a great option. The savory pork and cabbage filling is wrapped in a soft, thin layer of egg, then finished with classic Japanese-style toppings.
The key to this Tonpeiyaki recipe is to stir-fry the pork belly and cabbage with Worcestershire-based seasoning first, set the filling aside, and then wrap it in a thin egg layer mixed with a starch slurry. Turn off the heat as soon as the bottom of the egg is lightly set, then add the filling and fold the egg around it. This keeps the egg soft while making it easier to shape.
Finish with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, aonori, and bonito flakes for a sweet-savory combination of tender egg, crisp cabbage, and flavorful pork.
⏱️ Cooking Time: About 15 minutes
🍳 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
✓ Ingredients
🥣 Main Ingredients
- 100 g (3.5 oz) shaved pork belly
- 200 g (7 oz) cabbage
- 3 eggs, for the egg mixture
- 1/2 tbsp water, for the egg mixture
- 1/2 tbsp starch, for the egg mixture
- 1 pinch salt, for the egg mixture
🧂 Seasonings & Sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, for the filling
- 1 tsp brewed soy sauce, for the filling
- 1 tsp mirin, for the filling
- 1 tsp ketchup, for the filling
- Cooking oil
- Okonomiyaki sauce (tonkatsu sauce or teriyaki sauce can be substituted)
- Mayonnaise
- Aonori (green seaweed powder)
- Bonito flakes
(Measurement guide: 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Korean paper cup = 180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
✓ How to Make Tonpeiyaki
- Prepare the cabbage: Finely shred 200 g (7 oz) cabbage.
- Cut the pork belly: Cut 100 g (3.5 oz) shaved pork belly into bite-size pieces that are easy to stir-fry and eat.
- Make the filling sauce: Combine 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp brewed soy sauce, 1 tsp mirin, and 1 tsp ketchup in a small bowl.
- Make the starch slurry: Mix 1/2 tbsp water with 1/2 tbsp starch until no lumps remain.
- Make the egg mixture: Add 3 eggs and 1 pinch salt to the starch slurry and beat until evenly combined. Mixing the starch slurry into the eggs helps keep the thin egg layer from tearing easily.
- Cook the pork belly: Add cooking oil to a skillet and stir-fry the pork belly over medium heat. Cook until the red color of the pork disappears and the meat is cooked through.
- Add the cabbage: Once the pork is cooked, add the shredded cabbage and stir-fry together.
- Season the filling: Add the prepared Worcestershire sauce mixture once the cabbage has cooked down slightly. Stir-fry until the filling is evenly coated, then remove it from the skillet and set aside.
- Clean and reheat the skillet: Wipe any remaining sauce from the skillet with a paper towel. Return the skillet to medium heat, add cooking oil, and make sure the pan is hot before pouring in the egg mixture.
- Lightly cook the bottom of the egg: As soon as the bottom of the egg mixture is lightly set, turn off the heat. The key is not to cook the egg completely.
- Add the filling: Place the cooked pork belly and cabbage filling in a long mound down the center of the egg.
- Wrap the filling with the egg: Fold both sides of the egg toward the center to wrap the filling, shaping it into a rounded, elongated form. Bring the egg together enough so the filling does not fall out when flipped.
- Flip onto a plate: Place a serving plate over the skillet and carefully invert the Tonpeiyaki so the smooth side of the egg faces upward.
- Add sauce and toppings: Drizzle okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise over the top, then finish with aonori and bonito flakes.
✓ Key Tips for Success
- If the egg keeps tearing: A very thin egg layer can tear easily if no starch slurry is added. Mix 1/2 tbsp water with 1/2 tbsp starch first, then combine it with the 3 eggs to make a more flexible egg wrapper.
- If the egg becomes too firm: If you fully cook the egg before adding the filling, it becomes harder to fold and the texture will be firmer. Turn off the heat as soon as the bottom is lightly set, then immediately add the pork and cabbage filling.
✓ Serving Tips
- Cut and serve the Tonpeiyaki while it is still warm so you can enjoy the soft egg, stir-fried cabbage, and pork belly together in each bite.
- If you do not have okonomiyaki sauce, you can substitute tonkatsu sauce or teriyaki sauce.
✓ How to Choose Good Cabbage
- Outer leaves and color: Choose cabbage with fresh green outer leaves, a natural sheen, and minimal bruising or wilted areas.
- Firm head: Look for cabbage that feels firm on the outside and does not give easily when pressed.
- Avoid hollow heads: If the inside appears hollow when the root end is cut, it is better to choose another cabbage.
Source: Rural Development Administration, Nongsaro – Seasonal Ingredient: Cabbage
✓ Cabbage Nutrition per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 29.00 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 6.98 g |
| Protein | 1.36 g |
| Fat | 0.12 g |
| Sodium | 9.00 mg |
Based on 100 g of raw cabbage. Actual nutrition values may vary depending on the variety and cooking method.
Source: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Nutrition Database – Cabbage, Raw
✓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How cooked should the egg be before folding Tonpeiyaki?
Turn off the heat when only the bottom of the egg is lightly set. Add the cooked filling at that point and fold the egg around it so the egg stays soft and is easier to shape.
Q2. Why does the egg tear when I fold Tonpeiyaki?
The egg can tear easily if it is spread too thin without a starch slurry. Mix 1/2 tbsp water with 1/2 tbsp starch, then add the mixture to the 3 beaten eggs before cooking.
Q3. Can I make Tonpeiyaki without Worcestershire sauce or okonomiyaki sauce?
Yes. According to this recipe, the Worcestershire sauce, brewed soy sauce, mirin, and ketchup used for the filling can be replaced with salt and pepper. If you do not have okonomiyaki sauce, you can use tonkatsu sauce or teriyaki sauce instead.
The sweet-savory pork belly and cabbage wrapped in soft egg create a satisfying combination of meat, vegetables, and egg in every bite. Using a generous 200 g (7 oz) of cabbage keeps plenty of crisp texture, while the okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flakes add the familiar flavors of a Japanese teppan-style dish.
When I made the recipe this way, preparing the stir-fried filling first and cooking the egg separately made the process straightforward. Adding the starch slurry to the egg also made it noticeably easier to fold around the filling without tearing.
If you want to make something different with shaved pork belly and cabbage, try this Tonpeiyaki recipe. The most important timing is turning off the heat when the bottom of the egg is just lightly set. Get that step right, and you can enjoy a soft egg wrapper with a generous savory filling.
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※ This recipe was prepared and written after referring to a recipe introduced on the YouTube channel ‘일식예보’, then cooking it and documenting the process and results.