Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancake)
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on January 27, 2022
Time
50 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 as an appetizer
Ingredients
Sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ½-1 teaspoon gochugaru ½ teaspoon sugarPancakes
10 scallions 1 cup (5 ounces/142 grams) all-purpose flour ¼ cup (1 ounce/28 grams) potato starch 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon table salt 1 cup ice water 2 garlic cloves, minced6 tablespoons vegetable oil, dividedBefore You Begin
Be sure to purchase the coarse variety of gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), which is sometimes labeled “coarse powder.” Use a full teaspoon if you prefer a spicier dipping sauce. If gochugaru is unavailable, substitute ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Potato starch is available at Asian markets and some supermarkets; we like the crisp exterior that it produces in this pajeon recipe, but if it's unavailable, substitute cornstarch.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl; set aside.
- Line large plate with double layer of paper towels and set aside. Separate green tops of scallions from white and light green parts. Halve white and light green parts lengthwise. Cut all scallion parts into 2-inch lengths and set aside. Whisk flour, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt together in medium bowl. Add ice water and garlic and whisk until smooth. Using rubber spatula, fold in scallions until mixture is evenly combined.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Stir batter to recombine. Run blade of spatula through center of batter to halve and scrape half of batter into center of skillet. Spread into round of even thickness, covering bottom of skillet, using spatula or tongs to move scallions as necessary so they are evenly distributed in single layer. Shake skillet to distribute oil beneath pancake and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle sizzle (reduce heat if oil begins to smoke), until bubbles at center of pancake burst and leave holes in surface and underside is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip pancake and press firmly into skillet with back of spatula to flatten. Add 1 tablespoon oil to edges of skillet and continue to cook, pressing pancake occasionally to flatten, until second side is spotty golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to prepared plate.
- Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and remaining batter. Drain second pancake on prepared plate for 2 minutes. Cut each pancake into 6 wedges and transfer to platter. Serve, passing sauce separately.
for the sauce
for the pancakes
Time
50 minutesYield
Serves 4 as an appetizerIngredients
Sauce
Pancakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Sauce
Pancakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Sauce
Pancakes
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This pajeon recipe, Korea's ubiquitous scallion pancake, is a cheap, quick-to-make snack that comes together with pantry ingredients (flours, starches, and leaveners) and loads of green onions and suits any occasion. Our dry mix starts with all-purpose flour and potato starch, a pure starch that equips the batter with more material for crisping up; its unique chemical makeup also helps keep the starch molecules separate after cooling so that the crust stays crisp. Using ice water in the batter minimized the hydration of the starches, thus allowing the batter to dry out and crisp more easily during frying. A little baking soda raised the pH of the batter and boosted browning; pressing the pancake against the skillet after flipping it also encouraged color development. Adding baking powder to the batter opened up the crumb so that it was pleasantly dense and moist, not gummy. We used about five scallions per pancake and cut them into 2-inch lengths so that they formed a nest-like structure glued together by the viscous batter. A combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar made for a savory, tart, faintly sweet condiment that complemented the heartiness of this pajeon recipe. A little gochugaru and sesame oil added heat and nutty depth, respectively.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Be sure to purchase the coarse variety of gochugaru (Korean chile flakes), which is sometimes labeled “coarse powder.” Use a full teaspoon if you prefer a spicier dipping sauce. If gochugaru is unavailable, substitute ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Potato starch is available at Asian markets and some supermarkets; we like the crisp exterior that it produces in this pajeon recipe, but if it's unavailable, substitute cornstarch.
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in small bowl; set aside.
- Line large plate with double layer of paper towels and set aside. Separate green tops of scallions from white and light green parts. Halve white and light green parts lengthwise. Cut all scallion parts into 2-inch lengths and set aside. Whisk flour, potato starch, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, and salt together in medium bowl. Add ice water and garlic and whisk until smooth. Using rubber spatula, fold in scallions until mixture is evenly combined.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Stir batter to recombine. Run blade of spatula through center of batter to halve and scrape half of batter into center of skillet. Spread into round of even thickness, covering bottom of skillet, using spatula or tongs to move scallions as necessary so they are evenly distributed in single layer. Shake skillet to distribute oil beneath pancake and cook, adjusting heat as needed to maintain gentle sizzle (reduce heat if oil begins to smoke), until bubbles at center of pancake burst and leave holes in surface and underside is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip pancake and press firmly into skillet with back of spatula to flatten. Add 1 tablespoon oil to edges of skillet and continue to cook, pressing pancake occasionally to flatten, until second side is spotty golden brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer to prepared plate.
- Repeat with remaining 3 tablespoons oil and remaining batter. Drain second pancake on prepared plate for 2 minutes. Cut each pancake into 6 wedges and transfer to platter. Serve, passing sauce separately.
for the sauce
for the pancakes
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