What’s Cooking? Savory Pancake With Green Onion

Savory Pancake with Green Onion is a variation of  jeon, the traditional Korean  pancake. (Salgu Wissmath/ The Sejong Dish)

Savory Pancake with Green Onion is a variation of jeon, the traditional Korean pancake. (Salgu Wissmath/ The Sejong Dish)

Jeon is the Korean version of a savory pancake. It’s really simple to make and so good to eat. One of my favourite versions is this kimchijeon from Maangchi. However, sometimes you want something without the spice and that’s where pajeon comes in. Pa means green onion and the following vegetarian recipe (many versions include shrimp, but I’m not a seafood person) incorporates that wonderful vegetable.

Below, I’ve listed buckwheat flour as an ingredient. Buckwheat flour is gluten-free and a vegan option for this recipe. However, you can use regular wheat flour instead, or even a mix of buckwheat and wheat flour. Also, if you need a gluten-free or vegan dish, make sure you use the appropriate soy sauce.

(Salgu Wissmath/ The Sejong Dish)

Savory Pancake with Green Onion can easily be prepared gluten-free and vegan. (Salgu Wissmath/ The Sejong Dish)

Savory Pancake with Green Onion

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 1 cup water
  • 15-20 green onions, washed and finely sliced (cut them into fourths, then slice finely)
  • ½ cup kale, washed and finely sliced
  • ½ cup red cabbage, washed and finely chopped (discard any very thick pieces, as they won’t soften properly)
  • Vegetable oil
  • Salt for seasoning

Method

Preparation and cooking time: around 1.5 hours

  1. Mix the flour, sugar, soy sauce, salt and water together to form a paste.
  2. Stir in the vegetables.
  3. Heat some oil in a large frying pan on medium heat (use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan)
  4. Dollop three spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly. Each dollop should be spaced away from each other to make three small pancakes. Press down on them with your spatula.
  5. Cook each pancake until nicely browned on the bottom and a little crispy. Flip the pancakes and brown the other side, pressing down as needed.
  6. Once cooked, transfer to a plate and lightly season with some salt.
  7. Repeat steps 4-6, adding more oil as needed.
  8. Eat right away with the below dipping sauce, or allow to cool and save for breakfast or lunch the next day.

Dipping Sauce

(from Kye Kim’s Modern Korean Cooking)

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ tbsp sugar
  • ½ tbsp rice vinegar

Method

Preparation and cooking time: less than a minute

  1. Mix all the ingredients together.
  2. Set aside until ready to use.

About Maggie O'Driscoll

Maggie O’Driscoll is a joyful young woman who is always happy to help her fellow teachers. Hailing from Dublin, Ireland, this cheerful lady arrived in Korea in June of 2012. At university she earned her degree in Speech Communication. In Korea, everyone knows Maggie for her cooking and her love of all things book related. She also enjoys writing, crafts, photography, and of course, travel. View all posts by Maggie O'Driscoll →

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