Japanese Loaded Fries

Japanese Loaded Fries

Crispy, golden fries get an irresistible Japanese twist in this umami-packed recipe. Topped with creamy Kewpie mayo, tangy okonomiyaki sauce, and a scattering of spring onions, sesame seeds, and nori, these loaded fries are a flavour explosion in every bite. Perfect as a crowd-pleasing party snack, a fun side dish, or even a cheeky main, Japanese Loaded Fries fuse comfort food with bold street-food vibes straight from Tokyo.

Okonomiyaki sauce is a rich, sweet, and savoury Japanese condiment traditionally used on okonomiyaki — a savoury cabbage pancake often described as ‘Japanese pizza’ or ‘Japanese pancake’.

Furikake is a Japanese seasoning blend typically sprinkled over rice, but it’s also fantastic on dishes like sushi, vegetables, eggs, noodles — and even loaded fries! Furikake has a savoury, umami-rich flavor with a hint of sweetness and crunch. The seaweed gives it a briny edge, while sesame seeds add nuttiness and texture. It’s a flavor bomb — salty, slightly sweet, and sometimes fishy, depending on the blend.

As part of our series of live cooks, we invited Grace, who’s cooked with us before, to set the theme. She came up with kebabs and loaded fries.

We know that Grace’s Dad, Tony, can cook, so challenged him to join in and set this cook up as a competition.

We each cooked a portion of loaded fries and a kebab:

• Grace’s Dirty loaded fries and chicken kebab
• Tony’s Greek loaded fries and Pork Souvlaki kebab
• Nic’s Japanese loaded fries and duck kofta kebab

Method

1. Prepare your sauce in advance, mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.  Whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Finely chop the green ends of the spring onions.
3. Prepare your crispy fried onions, by frying finely chopped onion in some oil. We cheated and bought some ready-made crispy onions from the local asian supermarket.
4. To load your fries, place your portion of fries on a plate or in a dish.
5. Drizzle with the sauce and kewpie.
6. Sprinke over the chopped spring onion, meat floss, if using, crispy onions, nori flakes and furikake seasoning.
7. Serve immediately!