Preparation

If you maintain a sourdough starter, you're constantly discarding perfectly good fermented flour paste. This recipe puts that funky discard to work in okonomiyaki, the wildly customizable Japanese pancake that's part breakfast, part dinner, all delicious.

Making the Batter

1. Whisk together sourdough discard, eggs, dashi, and soy sauce until smooth.
2. Fold in flour until just combined—lumps are fine.
3. Mix in shredded cabbage, scallions, and your protein of choice.
4. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes. The sourdough adds a subtle tang and helps create amazing texture.

Cooking

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat with a slick of oil.
2. Pour in half the batter, shaping it into a thick pancake about 8 inches across.
3. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy.
4. Flip carefully and cook another 5 minutes.
5. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. Transfer to a plate and go wild with toppings: zigzags of mayo and okonomiyaki sauce, a snowstorm of bonito flakes, crumbled nori, and more scallions.

The sourdough discard adds complex flavor and helps the pancake achieve that perfect crispy-outside, custardy-inside texture that makes okonomiyaki so addictive. Your starter will finally earn its keep.