Pajeon Korean Pancake With Beet Greens Food

VEGAN PAJEON 파전 (KOREAN SCALLION/GREEN ONION PANCAKES)

Steps:

• You can check out the a complete step-by-step on how to make the pajeon in the photos above or in the video below.

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.)

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.

PAJEON (KOREAN SCALLION AND SEAFOOD PANCAKE)

Steps:

• Trim the small green onions and scallions and cut them into 4-inch lengths. Wash oysters, clams, and hard-shelled mussels in brine (5 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt) and drain on a wicker tray.
• Slice oysters, clams, and hard-shelled mussels.
• Beat "A" with a whisk into a light batter and mix half the chopped seafood in the batter. "A" can be bought pre-mixed in bags in Korean food stores (just ask them).
• Place the green onions and scallions parallel in an oiled pan at a low heat and ladle a scoop of the batter onto them.
• After the patty cooks slightly, sprinkle the sea food and spread a little bit of batter again on the top.
• Turn the patty and fry until each side becomes appetizingly yellowish brown. Serve the pan-fried green onion and sea food with vinegar soy sauce mixed with "B".
• You can make this recipe with chives instead of green onions, and omitting the seafood if you like. Try putting your favourite veggies in there.

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).