Korean-style savory pancakes are a commonly eaten street food. Usually eaten as a snack or part of a larger banchan meal that also includes items like pickled kimchi, spicy rice cakes, steamed fish or pork, and a seaweed soup of some kind, they are available in numerous variations and combinations. It is often assumed that because a certain type of cuisine might seem unfamiliar or exotic to us, there are certain elements that can be made with ingredients that are universally available in kitchens.
Korean pancakes have variations with potato, known as Gamjajeon and seafood, known as Haemul Pajeon. Eaten hot off of the pan with a dipping sauce made of soy, lime juice, sugar and green onions, the pancakes are an umami bomb of flavour. The pancakes are also served with a Korean rice wine called Makegeolli. Here are two recipes you can attempt in your kitchen and enjoy:
Korean Potato Pancake (Gamjajeon)
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 large potatoes, grated
- 1 medium red or white onion, grated
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove of garlic
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup oil
Method:
- Add the grated potatoes with their starch to a bowl along with the onion, garlic and seasoning. Mix well and add the flour and baking powder and stir. Rest the batter for ten minutes.
- Add the oil to a pan and bring it up to heat. Pour a ladle or two of the batter into the hot oil and cook it on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, before flipping on to the other side. Cook for another two minutes and remove from the pan. Place on an absorbent paper towel before cutting into pieces and serving with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Korean Seafood Pancakes (Haemul Pajeon)
Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mixed seafood of your choice (prawns, squid, basa)
- 1 cup flour
- 1 egg
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 ¼ cups water
- Salt to taste
- Oil for pan frying
Method:
- Whisk the flour and egg with water and add salt as per taste. Slice the green onions into thin slices and chop the seafood into bite sized pieces.
- Pour a tablespoon of oil in a pan and pour the batter. Sprinkle the seafood and sliced green onions on top and pour another ladle of the batter to cover. Allow it to cook on one side for 4-5 minutes before carefully flipping it over.Cook for another 3 minutes and serve hot with a spicy dipping sauce.
