Lyrica Okano Joins Eat the Universe

On the newest episode of Marvel’s Eat the Universe, star of Marvel’s “Runaways” Lyrica Okano cooks up some okonomiyaki!

The Nico Minoru actor teams up with celebrity chef Justin Warner to craft the dish, which—much like the Runaways—gets its power from combining an eclectic mix into one cohesive whole.

Watch the episode above, then check out the recipe below to try it for yourself!

For the wet works:
-2 inches yamaimo/nagaimo (I haven’t tried it, but I bet using a regular potato will also work)
-2 eggs
-1 tsp mirin
-1/2 cup water

For the dry works:
-1 cup AP flour
-1 tsp baking powder
-2 tsp hon-dashi (dashi powder) (you can use chicken bouillon if hon dashi is not available)

For the filling:
-1lb kale
-1/2 lemon
-1/2 cup shredded chicken

For the noodles:
-1 portion yakisoba noodles
-1 TB okonomiyaki sauce (steak sauce isn’t a terrible substitute)
-2 TB vegetable oil

For the toppings:
-Aonori (seaweed flakes)
-Katsuoboshi (bonito flakes)
-Japanese mayo (or regular mayo, but I have my favorite Japanese mayo logo tattooed on me because it’s that good)
-Okonomiyaki sauce

Instructions:
Okonomiyaki basically means “cooked how you like it” so feel free to riff on the fillings and toppings to create your own super-team of savory pancake-y goodness.

Start by mixing together the wet works. Then, in a separate bowl, mix together the dry works. Set these aside for now. De-rib the kale by removing the tough stems. I personally think it’s very fun to do, so maybe you can task a kid with doing it.

Once the kale is de-ribbed, put it in a bowl with the juice of half a lemon. Rub and squeeze the kale until it is coated with lemon juice and the color brightens.

Add the wet works in to the dry works while stirring to make the pancake batter. Add the kale and chicken and stir once more to combine.

In a large pan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, about 2 minutes, add the yakisoba noodles and okonomiyaki sauce and toss to cook the noodles. It’s okay if a few get stuck to the pan.

Corral the noodles in to a circle and pour the batter over top. Let the batter cook about 4-5 minutes. You might see some bubbling happen on the surface. Carefully, and I mean it, use the biggest spatula you have to flip the pancake. Hesitation will cost you here. Continue to cook until the batter is cooked through, about 4-5 more minutes. You can test this with a chopstick or toothpick by inserting it in the pancake. If it comes out with batter on it, it needs to keep cooking.

Once cooked, top how you’d like and devour!