Pajeon Scallion Pancakes Recipes

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.)

PAJEON (파 전 / SCALLION PANCAKES)

Steps:

• To make the batter, combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, doenjang, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well to blend. Add the club soda, egg yolk, and garlic and mix gently using a whisk. Do not whisk too much, or extra gluten will form in the batter, making it too thick and doughy. Whisk about 10 times, then let the batter rest for 10 minutes in the freezer so any remaining small clumps of flour can dissolve and blend into the mixture by themselves.
• When you're ready to make the pancakes, line a sheet pan with paper towels and set aside. Place scallions in a medium bowl and fold in just enough cold batter to hold the scallions together.
• Set a 10-inch nonstick sauté pan over high heat and add about 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil begins to shimmer and just barely smoke, add 1 cup of the scallion batter to the center of the pan. Using a spatula, spread it out to form a 7-inch pancake. (You don't want the pancake to touch the sides of the pan, or the edges may burn before the center is cooked through.) Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the bottom of the pancake has set. Once it has set, gently slide your spatula under the edges of the pancake and lift them, tilting the pan, so some of the hot oil runs underneath the pancake. Then cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, until the bottom is a deep golden brown and crisp. You can check the color by gently lifting an edge of the pancake with your spatula. Flip the pancake and cook on the other side for 3 to 4 minutes, until it is golden brown on the second side and cooked through. Transfer to the prepared sheet pan to drain. Wipe out the pan, set it back over high heat, add another tablespoon or so of oil, and repeat until all of the pancakes are cooked. The finished pancakes can be kept in a low (200°F) oven on a clean sheet pan while you cook the remaining batches, but it's best to eat them right away.
• Cut each pancake into quarters and serve with small bowls of the Pajeon Sauce and ice-cold makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

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.

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.

VEGETABLE PAJEON (KOREAN SCALLION PANCAKES WITH VEGETABLES)

Steps:

• Prepare the pancakes: In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, potato starch, salt and baking powder.
• In a medium bowl, combine water, egg and kimchi. Whisk kimchi mixture into flour mixture, and whisk until smooth. Fold in vegetables and about three-quarters of the scallions. (Save the rest for garnish.)
• In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Scoop 1/4 cup portions of batter into the skillet, as many as will fit while not touching, flatten, and fry until dark golden on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to fry until other side is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with a little more salt. Continue with remaining batter.
• Before serving, make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, ginger or garlic (if using), sesame oil and sugar. Sprinkle sliced scallion over pancakes, and serve with dipping sauce on the side.