The first time I had a Korean Scallion Pancake was at a Korean restaurant in Rochester when Mike and I first started dating. The restaurant served one large pancake, about ten to 12 inches in diameter, and cut them up into bit size squares. They also had the best small side dishes, some of my favorites being the Mung Bean Sprout Salad and the seasoned black beans; so good.
I love these scallion pancakes, and they are really easy to whip up at home for a light snack or side dish. I use scallions and julienned carrots in mine, because that’s how the restaurant in Rochester served them, but you can add in almost any assortment of veggies you want. Seafood is also a popular add.
Korean Scallion Pancake (Pa Jun)
Adapted from About.com, Inspired by Korean House, Rochester NY Makes 2-3 pancakes depending on pan size 2 cups flour* 2 eggs, beaten 1 1/2 cups water 1 large bunch of scallions, 1 stalk reserved for dipping sauce 1/4 cup of julienned carrot, about 1 small to medium carrot 1 teaspoon kosher salt vegetable oil for cookingCut Scallions lengthwise in half, and then cut into 2 to 3 inch lengths; lightly rinse in a colander or soak scallions in a bowl of cold water to remove any dirt or sand. Drain and set aside.
In medium bowl beat eggs with whisk. Add in flour and water, and whisk to combine. Stir in scallions and carrots. Let batter rest for 10 minutes so the flour can fully absorb the water and thicken slightly; the batter won’t be as thick as American pancake batter. While the batter is resting, prepare the dipping sauce.
Heat an 8″ or 10″ non-stick sauté pan over medium heat with a thin layer of oil. I highly recommend using non-stick pans for these; I tried cooking them with my cast-iron skillet, and had to use more oil, and the results weren’t as good.
Pour batter into pan (1/3 of batter for an 8″ or 1/2 of batter for a 10″ pan), and evenly spread around the pan just to the edges. Cook for 3-4 minutes until set and lightly golden brown on the bottom. Flip over and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until browned on the bottom, adding a little more oil if needed. Cut as desired and serve with dipping sauce
Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons water 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 1 teaspoon sesame oil1 teaspoon honey 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper reserved scallion stalk, thinly sliced in rounds
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, and set aside until ready to use.
* Next time I make these, I am going to swap out 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour for 1/2 cup of rice flour. I think it will give a lighter crisper texture to the pancakes.
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