Pajeon: Korean spring onion pancake recipe
For food writer Su Scott, cooking is a way to reconnect with her roots, with each ingredient and dish transporting her back to her birth country of Korea. Having spent most of her adult life in the UK, Su has always found great comfort in cooking the dishes she grew up with, and this culinary journey has led to the publication of her debut cookbook, Rice Table – a joyful celebration of authentic Korean food.
Pajeon, a crisp, savoury pancake that you’ll find at pretty much every street food market in Korea, is one of the many recipes featured. Translating as spring onion (or scallion) pancake, this and other flavours of jeon are daily staples, and also feature in celebrations during the Korean Lunar New Year and the Korean Harvest Festival. They're also particularly sought-after on rainy days.
“In Korea, many believe that eating crispy, shallow-fried savoury pancakes dipped in a vinegary dipping sauce has a real mood-lifting effect on a dreary, wet day,” says Su. “The sizzling sound of cold pancake batter hitting the hot oil and frying resembles the pitter-pattering sound of rain… This is why we subconsciously crave them.”
Once you taste these delicately crisp, aromatic and slightly nutty pancakes, brightened by a piquant, vinegary dipping sauce, you’ll be craving them constantly, too – whatever the weather.
Things to note:
The texture of the batter improves with an overnight rest in the fridge, as the gluten relaxes. If you’re short on time, resting the batter for 30 minutes will do.
This pancake batter will last up to three days in the fridge, stored in an airtight container. Leftover pancakes can also be stored in the fridge, then reheated from room temperature in a hot pan with a little oil to crisp them up.
This recipe call for gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes), which can be substituted with chipotle powder or cayenne pepper.
Su suggests throwing in some chopped onions, or add some fiery chopped chilli for an extra dab of heat.
The batter is also a perfect vessel for using up any bits and bobs you have lying around.
For US ingredients and measurements, use the drop-down menu and select 'Cups'.
Ingredients
For the batter:- 150 g plain flour
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 0.5 tsp sea salt flakes
- 0.2 tsp baking powder
- 250 ml fridge-cold water
- 3 bunches of spring onions
- 100 g squid, cleaned and sliced into small bite-size pieces (optional)
- 50 g prawns, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1 long mild red chilli, sliced diagonally
- 2 eggs, lightly whisked
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp golden granulated sugar
- 1 tsp chives, snipped
- 0.5 tsp gochugaru (optional)
Details
- Cuisine: Korean
- Recipe Type: Appetisers
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Serves: 3
Step-by-step
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Combine all the dry ingredients for the batter in a large mixing bowl. Add the cold water and whisk until smooth, then rest the batter in the fridge – ideally overnight or for at least 30 minutes. The batter will thicken as the flour swells while it’s resting.
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Trim the spring onions (scallions) so they will fit comfortably lengthways in a large frying pan (skillet). Cut any large ones in half lengthways, too, so that they are all a similar thickness.
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Combine the squid and prawns, if using, in a bowl so you can easily reach out to scatter them onto the pancake. Have all the components ready, as assembling the pancakes will require your attention at certain stages.
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Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan (skillet) over medium heat. Lay 1/3 of the spring onions (scallions) in a single layer, without large gaps in between. Ladle 1/3 of the batter onto the spring onions (scallions), spreading to fill any gaps. You will notice a soft whistling sound when the cold batter hits the pan.
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Scatter with 1/3 of the seafood, if using, and the red chillies. Drizzle 1/3 of the whisked eggs on top.
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Maintain medium heat. If the heat is too low, the pancake will soak up too much grease. Listen to the gentle sizzling and notice the consistent bubbles around the edge of the pancake – these are good signs.
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Soon, the edge of the pancake will start to crisp up. You may need to add a touch more oil around the edge of the pan if it appears a little dry. After 3-4 minutes, dry patches on the top of the pancake will indicate that it is almost cooked.
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Drizzle a little more oil on top then flip the pancake. Press the centre to help the ingredients settle. Cook for a further 3 minutes or until cooked through and golden. Repeat to make the remaining pancakes.
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Serve at once with dipping sauce.
For the chive dipping sauce:
- Combine all the ingredients in a small mixing bowl, before serving.
Recipe adapted from Rice Table by Su Scott (Quadrille). Photography by Toby Scott.
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