Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Pancake Batter
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 40 g cornstarch
- 180 ml water, ice cold
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 2 g fine sea salt
Vegetables
- 150 g vegetarian kimchi, well-fermented, roughly chopped
- 4 scallions, cut into 5cm lengths
- 1 carrot, peeled and thinly julienned
- 1 zucchini, thinly julienned
Frying
- 45 ml vegetable oil
Dipping Sauce
- 30 ml soy sauce
- 15 ml rice vinegar
- 15 ml water
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g granulated sugar
- 3 g toasted sesame seeds
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 299 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1012 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Potassium
- 183 mg
- Calcium
- 34 mg
- Iron
- 1.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 69 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 154 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 34 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 23 mcg
- Water
- 90 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, toasted sesame oil, sugar, and toasted sesame seeds to create the dipping sauce. Set aside to allow the flavors to meld.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and fine sea salt. Pour in the ice water and the 15ml of soy sauce, whisking gently until just combined. A few lumps remaining in the batter are perfectly fine.
Add the chopped vegetarian kimchi, scallions, julienned carrot, and julienned zucchini into the batter. Use a spatula to gently fold the ingredients together until the vegetables are evenly coated.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add about a quarter of the vegetable oil to generously coat the bottom. Once the oil is shimmering, pour a quarter of the vegetable batter into the pan, using a spatula to spread it out into an even, thin circle.
Fry the pancake undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden brown and crispy, and the top edges begin to appear dry.
Slide a spatula under the center of the pancake and confidently flip it over. Drizzle a small amount of extra vegetable oil around the edges of the pan to ensure the second side gets equally crispy. Fry for another 3 minutes until browned and the vegetables are completely tender.
Transfer the cooked pancake to a wire rack so air can circulate underneath, maintaining its crispness. Repeat the frying process with the remaining batter and oil. Slice into wedges and serve hot with the prepared dipping sauce.
Chef's Notes
- Using ice-cold water is the secret to a shatteringly crisp pancake edge, as it slows down gluten formation in the batter while mixing.
- The addition of cornstarch or potato starch to the all-purpose flour significantly improves the overall crunch factor and lightness of the dough.
- Ensure your vegetarian kimchi is well-fermented and sour. If your kimchi is fresh, add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the batter to simulate the depth of aged kimchi.
- Always place finished pancakes on a wire cooling rack rather than a plate; a flat plate traps steam and will turn your crispy edges completely soggy within minutes.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze flat between sheets of parchment paper, then transfer to a sealed bag.
Reheating: Reheat in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or in an oven at 200°C/390°F until crispy again.
Troubleshooting
Pancake is soggy and lacks crisp edges
Cause: The pan was not hot enough or insufficient oil was used during frying
Fix: Return the pancake to the skillet over medium-high heat with a little more oil and fry for an additional minute per side.
Prevention: Ensure the oil is shimmering before adding the batter, and do not skimp on the frying oil.
Pancake breaks apart when flipping
Cause: The pancake was flipped before the bottom had completely set, or it was spread too large.
Fix: Press the broken pieces back together in the pan; the wet batter on top will cook and help bind it back together.
Prevention: Wait until the edges look completely dry and the bottom is solid before flipping. Keep pancakes smaller if using a small spatula.
Cultural Context
Jeon refers to a diverse category of Korean savory pancakes made by pan-frying a flour batter mixed with various ingredients. Pajeon highlights scallions, while kimchijeon heavily features aged kimchi. They are traditionally enjoyed on rainy days in Korea, often paired with a bowl of makgeolli, a milky and lightly sparkling rice wine.
