Secret Ingredient Pajeon

Name: Secret Ingredient Pajeon
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H20M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H55M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT1H15M0.000S
Yield: 6 pancakes
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes); 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds; 2 scallions, chopped; 1 clove garlic, minced; 3 tablespoons sesame oil; 6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced; 1 small zucchini, cut into half-moons; Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper; 1 1/2 cups kimchi; 8 ounces ground pork; 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces; 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks; 1 red finger chile pepper, thinly sliced; 1 shallot, thinly sliced; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup Asian rice flour; 2 large eggs; 1/3 cup canola oil

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The secret ingredient in this Korean scallion pancake recipe, handed down to us from a special Korean grandmother, is the ground pork. You can't see or taste it, but it adds moist, crispy texture. It's impossible to have just one.

Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 15 min

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 55 min

Yield: 6 pancakes

Level: Easy
Total: 1 hr 15 min

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 55 min

Yield: 6 pancakes

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chile flakes)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

2 scallions, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

Pancakes:

3 tablespoons sesame oil

6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 small zucchini, cut into half-moons

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 cups kimchi

8 ounces ground pork

6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks

1 red finger chile pepper, thinly sliced

1 shallot, thinly sliced

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Asian rice flour

2 large eggs

1/3 cup canola oil

Directions

For the dipping sauce: Combine the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, the gochugaru, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, scallions and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
For the pancakes: Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and zucchini and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in the skillet and cook without mixing until they turn brown, for 1 to 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, toss the vegetables and cook until brown and dry, another 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
Put the kimchi in a paper towel, squeeze out the excess liquid and roughly chop. Add the kimchi to a large bowl with the pork, scallions, carrots, chiles, shallots and the zucchini and mushroom mixture. Add the flours, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, the remaining 2 tablespoons sesame oil and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups cold water and mix until all of the ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be thick but loose.
Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3/4 cup of the batter to the skillet and spread it evenly until 1/2-inch thick, using a spatula if necessary. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the sides are crisp and small bubbles form on top, for 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until brown and crispy, for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the pancake two more times, once again on each side, and cook for 30 seconds per side to ensure the pancake becomes crispy. Repeat with the remaining pancake batter.
Transfer the pancakes to a serving platter and cut into wedges. Serve with the dipping sauce.