Korean Vegetable Pancakes

{ crispy, savory vegetable pancakes }

Korean pancakes (pa-jeon) are a popular appetizer or side dish in Korean culture.  It's hearty and filling enough to be a meal in itself.  Pa-jeon is absolutely amazing when eaten piping hot straight off the stove.  So wonderfully savory and delicious.   It's usually served with a dipping sauce consisting of soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar.  You can find many variations of the pancake - most common are scallion, kimchi, or seafood.   Seafood pancake (called hae-mul pa-jeon) is my absolute favorite; it consists of squid, clams, shrimp, and scallions.

I wanted to make some pa-jeon for the boys for lunch, but I didn't have any seafood on hand.  So I decided to make vegetable pancakes instead.  If you have some fresh veggies, flour, water, and egg around, this is a simple meal to make. 

I have screwed these up horribly many times before and have learned from my mistakes.  So here are a few tips:

1. Don't make the pancakes too thick.  Otherwise, they're bound to be soggy.
2. Don't be stingy with the oil.  In the past, I tried using as little oil as possible to keep them from being greasy and it would be a flop (literally).  You don't want to go overboard with the oil, either; these are not meant to be deep-fried.  Just be sure to use enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. If they do turn out soggy or floppy, don't despair.  They're salvageable!  Just add some more oil to the pan and fry it again.  Sometimes they turn out better this way!

{ vegetables sliced thin and ready to go in the batter }

 

{ mix, mix, mix }



{ fry in the pan }



{ and voila! }

 

So how good are they?  I think this says it all. 

Korean Vegetable Pancakes
{ Makes about four 8-inch pancakes }

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups ice cold water
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil for pan frying (approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons for each pancake)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and julienned
1 carrot, peeled and julienned (or grated)
1 green pepper, cut into thin slices
1 red pepper, cut into thin slices
1 bunch of scallions, sliced

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix flour, egg, salt, and 1 1/2 cups water until a smooth batter is formed.  If batter is still thick, add a little more water (you want it to be the consistency of pancake batter).  Stir in the potatoes, carrots, peppers, and scallions.
2. Place an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Let it heat for 15-20 seconds, and then coat bottom with vegetable oil.  Ladle in about a quarter of the batter and spread it out evenly into a circle.  Cook for 5 minutes until edges start browning.  Then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes.  When completed, transfer the pancake on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain oil (if necessary) and then place on serving plate.
3. Repeat steps 1 to 3 with remaining batter.
4. When pancakes are all finished, cut into triangles and serve with dipping sauce.  

Dipping sauce (I use this sauce for pajeon and dumplings):

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon rice or white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch of roasted sesame seeds
Pinch of chopped scallion
Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil.  Sprinkle in sesame seeds, chopped scallion, and if desired, pinch of red pepper.