Haemul Pajeon Seafood Scallion Pancake Recipes

KOREAN SEAFOOD AND GREEN ONION PANCAKES (HAEMUL PAJEON)

Steps:

• Prepare a medium size bowl and add flour, cornstarch, sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder and the icy cold water. Whisk it well. Transfer the pancake batter into a measuring jug (for easier pouring).
• Preheat the frying pan on high heat until the bottom of the pan is well heated. Add cooking oil (approx. 3 Tbsp) and ensure the oil is spread all the way around the pan. (Watch out for oil splash.)
• Wait until the temperature of the oil is ready to cook (about 1 minute). To check, drop a bit of pancake batter into the pan. If it sizzles, it is ready. Reduce the heat to medium high heat. Pour out the pancake batter (from step 1, use just less than half a cup) and spread it evenly and thinly around the pan.
• Place 6 green onion tops on the pancake batter parallel to each other and pour out a little bit of the pancake batter onto and between the green onions, filling the gaps. Reduce the heat to medium.
• Place some calamari, prawns and red chilies (optional) sparingly on top of the green onions.
• Use a spoon to drizzle half of the beaten egg over the top of pancake. While cooking, move the pancake in a circular motion from time to time, so the pancake doesn't get stuck to the pan.
• Turn the pancake over when you see the top of the pancake partially cooked. (This makes it easy to turn the pancake. It takes around 4 minutes). Add more cooking oil around the edges of the pancake circle if necessary to release. Press the pancake with the spatula a couple of times to sizzle and make it crispy. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the heat off and transfer onto a plate or a cutting board.
• Repeat step 2 to 7 for the remainder batter to use up the ingredients.
• Slice the pancake into bite size pieces. Serve it with Korean pancake sauce.

HAEMUL PAJEON (SEAFOOD SCALLION PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Prepare the seafood, scallions and optional pepper, draining excess water. (Wet ingredients will make pajeon soggy.) Cut the scallions in half crosswise. Cut the white part of the scallions lengthwise if thick. Mix the seafood with the sesame oil.
• In a large bowl, mix the pancake mix with 3/4 cup icy cold water. You may need a couple more tablespoons but add one tablespoon at a time. The batter should be thinner than a Western breakfast pancake batter and thicker than a crepe batter. (For a crispy pajeon, the batter should be relatively thin.) Mix in 1/2 of the seafood.
• Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick pan over medium high heat, ladle 1/2 of the mixture into the pan and spread it evenly into a thin round shape.
• Arrange the scallions in a single layer on top of the batter, pressing them down into the batter. Add 1/2 of the remaining seafood and a few slices of the optional pepper.
• Spoon one half of the optional lightly beaten egg on top. Cook until the bottom is golden brown (3 - 4 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium if the pancake is browning too fast.
• Turn it over, adding more oil (2 to 3 tablespoons) around the edges. Cook for another 3 - 4 minutes. Repeat the process with the remaining batter and ingredients. Serve hot off the pan with dipping sauce.

HAEMUL PAJEON (KOREAN SEAFOOD PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Combine seafood mix, water, flour, 1 bunch scallions, eggs, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix until batter is thick.
• Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour half the batter evenly into the skillet. Cook until bottom and edges are browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the opposite side is browned, 7 to 8 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Combine soy sauce, 1 stalk scallion, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds in a bowl. Serve pancakes with dipping sauce.

SCALLION PANCAKE (PAJEON)

Steps:

• Batter: In a large bowl, add flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, sugar, and pepper. Mix well and set aside. In another bowl, add egg yolks, club soda, and soy sauce. Smash and peel the garlic, then finely chop. Use the flat part of your knife to press down on the garlic to further break it down, then continue to mince. Place garlic in the bowl with the wet ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently whisk, just enough to combine. (Do not over-whisk, or you will form extra gluten in the batter, making it too doughy.) Cover with plastic and let rest in the refrigerator, allowing any small lumps in the batter to dissolve, 10-15 minutes.
• Trim and discard scallion roots and the very tips of the greens. Slice scallion greens into 1½-inch batons; cut the denser white parts slightly shorter, about 1 inch. Chop the Chinese chives into 1-inch batons. Combine chives and scallions in a bowl.
• Dipping sauce: In a small bowl, add soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, and rice vinegar. Stir to blend. Reserve at room temperature until ready to use. Makes about ¼ cup. (Note: Dipping sauce can be made several days ahead and stored in a lidded container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• Heat skillet over high heat. Remove batter from refrigerator and quickly whisk, about 10 seconds. Ladle just enough batter into the scallions and chives to hold them together; mix with your hand until every scallion and chive is coated with batter. (You will have leftover batter.) Add ¾ of the oil to the hot skillet, enough to cover the bottom in a thin layer. When the oil is rippling, add the pancake mixture: spread it in an even layer across the skillet, without letting it touch the sides of the skillet. (Otherwise, the edges will burn before the center is cooked through.) Ladle another ½-cup batter across the top of the pancake and cook until it's golden brown on the bottom, 2-3 minutes. Lower the temperature if the pancake is browning too quickly.
• Gently slide a spatula (or two, if necessary) under the pancake and flip it, using caution to avoid oil splatter. Cook 2-3 more minutes, flattening the top with spatula, and occasionally shaking the skillet so some of the hot oil runs underneath the pancake. Add more oil as necessary to maintain a thin layer in the skillet. When the bottom is a deep golden brown, flip one more time and cook another 2 minutes.
• Remove pancake from skillet and transfer onto several layers of paper towels to drain excess oil. Cut pancake into 6 wedges, like a pizza, and serve immediately with dipping sauce. (Note: Extra batter can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days; make another pancake using scallions or any seasonal leafy green.)

KOREAN SCALLION PANCAKES (PAJEON)

Steps:

• Make the pancakes:.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper; stir to blend.
• In a separate small bowl, add the soy sauce, garlic, doenjang, and egg yolks; whisk to combine. Add this mixture and the club soda into the dry ingredients. Whisk about 10 times, then transfer to the freezer and let rest 10 minutes (this will help any remaining clumps incorporate).
• Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside.
• Retrieve the batter and fold in the scallion pieces. If the batter is too thick, add more club soda, 1⁄4 cup at a time, and mix well.
• Line a baking sheet with paper towels, and set it next to the stove.
• In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1⁄2 cup of the oil over high heat. Once shimmering, carefully add 1 cup of the batter to the center of the pan. Using a spatula, spread to form a 7-inch pancake; avoid letting the batter touch the sides if possible (to prevent the edges from burning before the center is cooked through).
• Lower the heat to medium and cook until the bottom of the pancake has set, 2-3 minutes. Gently slide a spatula under the edge of the pancake and lift it, tilting the pan so some of the hot oil runs underneath the pancake. Cook until the bottom is crispy and deep golden brown, 2-3 minutes more. Carefully flip the pancake, being careful not to let the oil splash, and cook on the remaining side until golden brown and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.
• Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, letting the paper towels absorb any excess oil.
• Place the pan back over high heat, and add 2-3 tablespoons more oil if needed. Repeat the process until all the batter is used. To keep the finished pancakes warm and crispy, set them in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in a low (200°) oven.
• Cut each pancake into pieces and serve with the dipping sauce on the side.