Korean Kimchi Pancakes – Kimchi Jeon Recipe
Kimchi jeon are crispy pancakes with pieces of kimchi that in Korea are often fried when it’s raining outside – people say the sizzling sound is like rain on the roof. They’re a great sharing snack, usually served with a simple dipping sauce. The flavor is a bit like potato pancakes with sauerkraut and a gentle heat.
W Korei kimchi jeon często smaży się w deszczowe dni, bo skwierczenie na patelni przypomina odgłos deszczu. To typowe anju, czyli przekąska podawana do alkoholu, zwłaszcza do makgeolli.
These kimchi pancakes are quick to make, wonderfully crispy on the outside and full of umami from fermented kimchi. They’re perfect for using up leftover kimchi and bring a bit of authentic Korean comfort food to your table.
Dlaczego ta wersja działa
- Sok z kimchi trafia do ciasta, więc nie trzeba dodatkowo doprawiać go solą ani octem.
- Rzadkie ciasto i cienkie rozprowadzenie gwarantują mocno chrupiące brzegi.
- Szczypiorek i cebula dodają słodyczy, która równoważy kwaśność kimchi.
- Prosty sos oparty na sosie sojowym podbija umami bez długiego gotowania.
Chef's tips
Use well-fermented, strong-tasting kimchi – young, very fresh kimchi will give a weaker flavor. Make sure the batter is not too thick; a thinner batter gives a crispier pancake. Don’t rush the frying: let the first side brown well before flipping so the pancake doesn’t break.
How to serve
Serve the pancakes immediately after frying, cut into bite-sized pieces, with the dipping sauce in the middle of the table. They go well with cold beer, green tea or light Korean side dishes such as cucumber salad or kimchi.
Na co uważać
- Zbyt gęste ciasto da ciężkie, mączne placki – rozrzedź je stopniowo łyżką wody.
- Nie odwracaj placka, gdy brzegi są blade i miękkie, bo łatwo się porwie.
- Za mało rozgrzany olej sprawi, że ciasto wsiąknie tłuszcz i będzie gumowe.
Ingredients
- kimchi finely chopped, excess liquid squeezed out - 150 g
- wheat flour - 120 g
- water cold - 160 ml
- egg - 1 piece
- chives chopped - 3 tablespoon
- onion thinly sliced into feathers - 0.5 piece
- vegetable oil for frying - 4 tablespoon
- soy sauce for the sauce - 2 tablespoon
- rice vinegar for the sauce - 1 tablespoon
- sugar for the sauce - 0.5 teaspoon
- gochugaru chili flakes for the sauce, optional - 0.5 teaspoon
Preparation
- Finely chop the kimchi and gently squeeze it in your hands to remove excess liquid (don’t pour it away, you can add a little to the batter for extra flavor).
- In a bowl, mix the flour, water, egg and optionally 1–2 tablespoons of kimchi juice until you get a smooth, fairly thin batter, similar to crepe batter.
- Add the chopped kimchi, onion and chives, and mix so the ingredients are evenly distributed in the batter.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Pour in half of the batter and spread it out thinly to form a pancake about 0.5 cm thick.
- Fry for 4–5 minutes, until the bottom is golden and crispy. Carefully flip the pancake with a large spatula (or two) and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until the other side is browned as well.
- Transfer the pancake to a board, then repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil if needed.
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and chili flakes until the sugar dissolves.
- Cut the fried pancakes into squares or triangles and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
Storage
Placki są najlepsze tuż po usmażeniu, gdy brzegi są najbardziej chrupiące. Po schłodzeniu miękną, ale po odgrzaniu na suchej, mocno rozgrzanej patelni odzyskają część chrupkości; sos trzymaj osobno.
Kimchi jeon is one of those dishes that instantly transports me to a cozy Korean bar on a rainy evening. I love how simple ingredients turn into something so satisfying, and how flexible the recipe is – you can add whatever you have on hand and it still tastes great.
