Haemul pajeon (해물파전) is a Korean road meals model pancake that layers seafood and inexperienced onions into a skinny crispy batter. It is among the hottest jeon (Korean pan fried dishes) and a staple at Korean bars and eating places, the place it’s served alongside chilly beer or makgeolli (Korean rice wine). In contrast to a Western pancake, this one is savory, flat, and filled with filling. If you happen to get pleasure from my Chinese language scallion pancakes or my simple egg and inexperienced onion crepe, this Korean model is a should strive.
In Korea, there’s a saying that wet days name for pajeon and makgeolli. I first tried this at a Korean restaurant in Beijing the place they cooked the pancakes on big flat griddles proper in entrance of you. The scent of scorching inexperienced onions and seafood hitting the recent pan was unforgettable. Now I make these at house at any time when I would like one thing crispy and satisfying for my household.
I make my very own batter from scratch with flour, cornstarch, and ice water so I can skip the shop purchased pancake combine and maintain the ingredient record clear. The trick is layering the inexperienced onions first, then the batter, then the seafood, and ending with a drizzle of crushed egg for additional crispiness. It comes collectively in lower than half-hour which is nice for busy days. Strive it and let me know the way it seems.
Components
Right here is every little thing you’ll want to make Korean seafood pancake at house. I maintain it organized by the batter, the filling, and the dipping sauce so you possibly can prep every half shortly.
Batter: I exploit all goal flour and cornstarch with ice water to create a skinny, runny batter that crisps up nice when pan fried. Just a little garlic powder, salt, sugar, and white pepper season it so the pancake itself is flavorful.
Filling: I exploit a mixture of shrimp, squid, and inexperienced onions because the filling. The inexperienced onions are the actual star right here, reduce in half lengthwise after which halved once more so that they lay flat within the pan. I beat the egg individually and drizzle it on prime throughout cooking for a crispier end.
Dipping sauce: I combine gentle soy sauce with rice vinegar, a contact of sugar, minced garlic, and Chinese language chili flakes for a tangy, barely spicy dip. It cuts by the richness of the fried pancake completely.
Easy methods to make
1. Make the batter: Mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, garlic powder, and white pepper in a bowl. Slowly stir within the ice water till the batter is easy and runny sufficient to simply coat the again of a spoon. Add extra water whether it is nonetheless too thick.
2. Combine the dipping sauce: Stir collectively the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sugar, minced garlic, and chili flakes till the sugar dissolves. Put aside.
3. Warmth the pan and cook dinner onions: Add oil to a big skillet over medium excessive warmth and let it get sizzling. The oil ought to shimmer however not smoke. Unfold a 3rd of the inexperienced onions in a single even layer throughout the pan, forming a rectangle form.
4. Add the batter and seafood: Drizzle batter evenly over the inexperienced onions. Scatter a 3rd of the seafood combine throughout the floor and drizzle somewhat extra batter on prime to carry every little thing collectively.
5. Cook dinner the primary facet: Cut back the warmth to medium. Let the pancake cook dinner undisturbed for about 1 minute. Then drizzle a 3rd of the crushed egg excessive and unfold it with a brush or spoon to kind a good layer. Proceed cooking for an additional 1 to 2 minutes till the underside is golden brown and crisp.
6. Flip the pancake: Use a big spatula (or 2 spatulas) to flip the pancake in a single assured movement. Add somewhat extra oil to the pan if wanted. Press the pancake down with the spatula and cook dinner till the opposite facet is browned and the seafood is cooked by, one other 2 to 4 minutes.
7. Slice and repeat: Switch the pancake to a slicing board and reduce into squares or triangles. Repeat with the remaining components to make 2 extra pancakes.
8. Serve: Organize the sliced pancakes on a plate and serve sizzling with the dipping sauce on the facet.
Cooking Suggestions
Preserve the batter ice chilly: I combine the batter proper earlier than cooking and maintain the water within the fridge till I would like it. If the batter warms up whilst you cook dinner a number of pancakes, the later ones won’t be as crispy. Some cooks even add a number of ice cubes to the batter bowl to maintain it chilly.
Don’t overcrowd the seafood: I unfold the seafood items out in a single layer with area between them. Piling the seafood too thick makes the middle soggy and arduous to cook dinner by. A skinny, even layer provides you crispy edges and correctly cooked shrimp and squid.
Use a nonstick pan or properly seasoned forged iron: I get the very best outcomes with a big nonstick skillet as a result of the pancake releases cleanly for flipping. Forged iron and carbon metal pan works too, however make sure that it’s properly seasoned and generously oiled. Chrome steel tends to stay and tear the pancake aside.
Flip with confidence: I slide a big spatula beneath your complete pancake and flip it in a single fast movement. Hesitating or going slowly causes the pancake to fold over on itself. If it breaks somewhat, that’s okay. Simply press it again along with the spatula and it’ll crisp up.
Press down after flipping: I exploit the spatula to press the pancake flat towards the pan after flipping. This pushes out extra moisture and creates extra floor contact with the recent oil, which implies crispier outcomes.
Serving Solutions
My favourite solution to eat Korean seafood pancake at house is as an appetizer with the tangy soy dipping sauce, a chilly beer, and possibly some Chinese language pickled cucumber on the facet. On weeknights, I make 3 massive pancakes and serve them as the primary dish with garlic fried rice and a comforting shrimp wonton soup for an entire meal.
When I’m internet hosting, I slice the pancakes into small triangles and place them on a platter as finger meals. They pair completely with a ramification of Korean dishes like my Korean Prompt Pot quick ribs or my japchae Korean Candy Potato Noodles. I at all times make the dipping sauce forward of time so the pancakes go straight from the pan to the desk whereas they’re sizzling and crispy. My household finishes each final piece so I extremely advocate it!
Ceaselessly Requested Questions
Why is my pancake not crispy?
The most typical purpose is the batter being too thick. I make sure that my batter could be very skinny and runny so it creates a fragile, crispy layer as a substitute of a thick, bready one. Utilizing ice chilly water and never overmixing the batter additionally assist. One other trigger will not be sufficient oil within the pan.
Can I exploit retailer purchased Korean pancake combine as a substitute of selfmade batter?
Sure, retailer purchased buchimgaru (Korean pancake combine) works properly and saves time. I skip the flour, cornstarch, salt, garlic powder, and white pepper and simply observe the bundle instructions for the water ratio. I nonetheless add the egg individually on prime throughout cooking for additional crispiness.
How do I retailer and reheat leftover Korean seafood pancake?
I stack leftover pancake items between sheets of parchment paper and retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 2 days. I reheat them in a skillet over medium warmth with a small drizzle of oil till crispy once more. The air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 3 to 4 minutes additionally works nice.
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My Korean seafood pancake is crispy on the skin and tender inside, loaded with shrimp, squid, and inexperienced onions in a seasoned ice water batter. This savory appetizer is prepared in simply 25 minutes with a tangy soy dipping sauce on the facet.
Forestall your display screen from going darkish
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Mix the dry components of the batter in a medium-sized bowl. Slowly stir within the water and blend with a spatula till it varieties a easy, runny batter that may simply coat the again of a spoon. Add a bit extra water if the batter continues to be a bit thick and blend once more.
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Combine the dipping sauce components till the sugar is dissolved. Put aside.
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Warmth 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high warmth in a big skillet till sizzling.
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Add half of the inexperienced onions to the pan in a single even layer, forming a rectangle about 7” by 9” (18 cm by 23 cm).
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Drizzle about 4 tablespoon of batter evenly over the inexperienced onions.
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Unfold 1/3 cup of seafood combine evenly throughout the pancake and drizzle one other 2 to 4 tablespoons of batter evenly over the seafood.
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Flip the warmth to medium and permit the pancake to cook dinner for 1 minute.
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Add a couple of third of the crushed egg over the pancake and unfold it with a brush or a spoon to kind a good layer.
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Cook dinner the pancake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, sometimes checking beneath, till it’s browned and crisp.
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In a single fluid movement, flip the pancake utilizing a spatula (or two spatulas). It could be mandatory so as to add one other tablespoon of oil to the pan.
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Cook dinner the pancake till the seafood facet is browned and cooked by, one other 2 to 4 minutes.
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Flip the pancake out onto a slicing board and slice into 9 squares or 8 triangles.
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Add extra to the pan and repeat steps 4 by 11 to cook dinner the remaining two pancakes.
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Serve sizzling with the dipping sauce on the facet as an appetizer or foremost.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- If you’re utilizing frozen seafood combine, you’ll want to thaw it earlier than utilizing. To measure frozen seafood combine, you will want to make use of a heaping cup. It is going to be a couple of cup after thawing.
- The variety of inexperienced onions relies on their dimension. If the inexperienced onions are massive (and are available 6 a batch on the grocery retailer), use 9. If they’re smaller (8 in a batch), use as much as 12.
- Relying on the model of flour you employ, you would possibly have to barely regulate the water ratio to kind a skinny, runny batter that might simply coat the again of a spoon.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 295kcal, Carbohydrates: 29.2g, Protein: 9.5g, Fats: 15.4g, Saturated Fats: 3.3g, Ldl cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 694mg, Potassium: 177mg, Fiber: 2.1g, Sugar: 1.8g, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 3mg
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