Savory Kimchi Buchimgae (Kimchi Pancake) for a Rainy Day
A savory pancake made with well-fermented kimchi, sliced ham, and onion, pan-fried to perfection with kimchi brine for seasoning.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This kimchi buchimgae features well-fermented aged sour kimchi, Spam, onion, and chili peppers pan-fried until crispy in oil. Kimchi brine seasons the batter and gives it a lovely color. Ready in around 20 minutes, it makes a great snack or anju (drinking snack) whenever you feel hungry.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 2 pancakes, 21 cm across
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Kimchi5-6 leaves, 300 g
- Onion1/3
- Spam (or ham)1/3 can
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
Batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or flour)1 cup
- Water1/2 cup
- Egg1
- Kimchi brine3 tbsp
- You can substitute pork, squid, or other seafood for the Spam.
Steps
1. If you have well-fermented kimchi, making savory pancakes with it is amazing.
Aged sour kimchi works great too. Shake off the inner seasonings from the kimchi and slice it into 2-2.5 cm pieces, then thickly julienne the Spam (ham).
Adding onion to sour kimchi brings a delicious sweetness. Slice 1/3 onion, and thinly slice the Cheongyang chili pepper and red chili pepper.
(You can substitute pork, squid, or seafood for the Spam.)
2. In a bowl, add the Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or flour), water, and 1 egg, then mix well with a whisk.
3. Add a little kimchi brine to season it and add color.
(If the kimchi is very sour, add a little sugar.)
4. Add all the prepared ingredients into the batter, and...
5. Just mix them together.
6. Generously coat a heated pan with oil, spread the batter out wide, and fry until golden brown. (Over medium heat.)
(I think pancakes that are slightly charred are crispy and delicious.)
Ppunwife's tips
- If the kimchi is very sour, add a little sugar.
- Kimchi buchimgae tastes best when seasoned directly with kimchi and kimchi brine as it cooks, rather than dipping it in vinegar soy sauce.
FAQ
Are there ingredients I can use instead of Spam?
Pork, squid, or mixed seafood all work wonderfully depending on your preference.
What should I do if the kimchi is too sour?
If the kimchi is overly sour, adding a little sugar to the batter will gently balance the acidity.
Is it flavorful enough without a soy dipping sauce?
Because kimchi and kimchi brine are added directly to the batter, it is well seasoned on its own and delicious without any vinegar soy sauce.
How should I control the heat to make it crispy?
Heat the pan thoroughly, add a generous amount of oil, and fry over medium heat until the pancake turns nicely browned.
