Spicy Savory Buchu Jangtteok (Chive Soybean Paste Pancakes)
Crispy pan-fried pancakes made with garlic chives and dried shrimp in a gochujang and doenjang batter.
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 →
Seasoned with gochujang and doenjang, these pancakes are perfectly salted without needing any dipping sauce. Glutinous rice flour gives them a pleasantly chewy texture, while finely chopped toasted dried shrimp adds rich umami and a great bite. Spicy and savory, they make a wonderful snack or pairing with makgeolli.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 13 pancakes, 7 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
- Garlic chives (buchu)120 g
- Dried shrimp1/2 cup (20 g)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu)1 cup
- Glutinous rice flour1/3 cup
- Water1 cup
- Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)1 tbsp
- Doenjang (Korean soybean paste)1 tsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Besides garlic chives, you can also use other vegetables like perilla leaves or mushrooms.
- You can substitute squid or frozen shrimp for the dried shrimp.
- To remove any off-odors and bring out their nutty flavor, lightly toast the dried shrimp in an air fryer or stir-fry them in an ungreased pan until crisp.
- You can use only Korean pancake mix without the glutinous rice flour.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
The ingredients for buchu jangtteok include a large handful of garlic chives.
It is best to lightly toast about 1/2 cup of dried shrimp in an air fryer or stir-fry them in an ungreased pan until crisp to remove off-odors and bring out their nutty aroma.
I prepared Cheongyang chili pepper and red chili pepper for heat.
I also prepared Korean pancake mix along with glutinous rice flour for a chewy texture, spicy gochujang, and a little doenjang to add a deep savory flavor.
Trim and chop the ingredients
Finely chop the lightly toasted dried shrimp so that texture remains.
Cut the garlic chives and chili peppers to around 2 cm long.
Make the batter
In a bowl, add the gochujang, doenjang, Korean pancake mix, glutinous rice flour, and water, then mix well until smooth and free of lumps.
You can use only Korean pancake mix without the glutinous rice flour.
The batter lacked color, so I stirred in 1 tbsp of fine gochugaru.
Combine the ingredients
Add all of the chopped dried shrimp, garlic chives, Cheongyang chili pepper, and red chili pepper into the batter and mix.
Pan-fry
Heat a generous amount of oil in a hot pan and fry the pancakes until crispy on both sides.
Ppunwife's tips
- Lightly toasting the dried shrimp in an air fryer or stir-frying them in an ungreased pan until crisp removes any off-odors and brings out their nutty flavor.
- Because the batter is seasoned with gochujang and doenjang, it is seasoned just right even without dipping it in seasoned soy sauce with vinegar.
FAQ
How should I make the batter if I don't have glutinous rice flour?
It is completely fine to omit the glutinous rice flour and make the batter using only Korean pancake mix.
Can I use other seafood instead of dried shrimp?
You can use squid or frozen shrimp, which go very well with garlic chives, as substitutes.
Is there a tip to reduce the fishiness of dried shrimp?
Lightly toasting them in an air fryer or stir-frying them in a dry, ungreased pan until crisp will eliminate off-odors and boost their nutty aroma.
Can I use other vegetables besides garlic chives?
You can add other vegetables of your choice, such as perilla leaves or mushrooms, to make delicious jangtteok.
