Korean Scallion Pancakes (Pajeon) Recipe
Pajeon are savory pancakes packed with scallions, often eaten in Korea on rainy days with a glass of makgeolli, a traditional rice alcohol. The batter is a bit thicker than for typical crêpes, and the edges turn pleasantly crispy when fried. It’s a great sharing snack served in the middle of the table and cut into small pieces.
This recipe captures the classic Korean comfort-food feel of pajeon: a simple batter, lots of scallions and vegetables, and irresistibly crispy edges. It’s easy to share, fun to eat with your hands and perfect with a tangy dipping sauce.
Chef's tips
Use very cold water for the batter – it helps keep the texture light and the edges crisp. Don’t overcrowd the pan and resist the urge to move the pancake around too much while it’s frying, so it can brown evenly and form a crunchy crust.
How to serve
Serve hot with the dipping sauce, alongside kimchi and other Korean banchan. Pajeon also pairs well with a light beer, makgeolli or sparkling water with lime. For a fuller meal, serve it with a simple miso soup or a fresh cucumber salad.
Ingredients
- mąka pszenna - 150 g
- skrobia ziemniaczana - 30 g
- woda - 220 ml
- jajko - 1 sztuka
- zielona cebulka - 6 sztuka
- marchew - 0.5 sztuka
- sól - 0.5 łyżeczka
- olej - 4 łyżka
- sos sojowy - 2 łyżka
- ocet ryżowy - 1 łyżka
- olej sezamowy - 1 łyżeczka
- sezam - 1 łyżeczka
Preparation
- Clean the scallions, trim the ends and cut them into pieces about 4–5 cm long; grate the carrot into thin matchsticks or slice it into very thin strips.
- In a bowl, mix the wheat flour, potato starch and salt, then pour in the cold water and add the egg.
- Whisk with a whisk or fork until you get a smooth, fairly thin batter without lumps, similar to crêpe batter but a bit thicker.
- Add the chopped scallions and carrot to the batter and gently mix so the vegetables are evenly distributed.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat; when hot, pour in half of the batter and quickly spread it over the pan so the vegetables form a single layer.
- Fry the pancake for 4–5 minutes, until the bottom is golden and crispy and the edges start to lift slightly from the pan.
- Flip the pancake to the other side, using a large plate or spatula to help if needed, and fry for another 3–4 minutes, until the second side is also nicely browned.
- Transfer the cooked pancake to a board and repeat with the remaining batter, adding the rest of the oil to the pan if needed.
- Make the dipping sauce: in a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
- Cut the cooked pancakes into squares or triangles with a knife or kitchen scissors and serve on a plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
Pajeon is one of those dishes that feels special but is made from pantry staples. Once you get a feel for the batter consistency and the heat of your pan, you can easily adapt it to whatever vegetables you have on hand.
