Crispy Grated Gamja Jeon (Potato Pancake)
Gamja jeon (potato pancake) made by mixing grated potatoes and potato starch, fried in oil until crispy and golden brown.
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 gamja jeon brings out maximum crispiness by straining the liquid from grated potatoes and mixing back the settled starch along with potato starch. Finely chopped chili peppers and green onion keep it from feeling greasy, and depending on how thick you pan-fry it, you can enjoy either a crispy or a chewy texture. It makes a great snack or accompaniment to beer.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
- Red potatoes8, 600 g (small ones, weighed amount)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
- Large green onion (daepa)a little
- Potato starch4 tbsp
- Salt1 tsp
- You can think of this as about 8 small potatoes, or about 4 large ones.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
These are red potatoes. Since the sizes were uneven with big and small ones, I trimmed them down to match the smaller size.
You can think of this as about 8 small potatoes, or about 4 large ones.
Finely chop the large green onion and Cheongyang chili pepper.
Grate the potatoes
Place the grated potatoes in a strainer and press down firmly to drain the potato juice.
Tilt the bowl collecting the potato juice to pour off the liquid; the settled starch at the bottom will go into the batter.
Make the batter
Add the grated potatoes, settled starch, 4 tbsp potato starch, 1 tsp salt, large green onion, and chilies, then mix together.
Rather than adding all the potato starch at once, add it little by little to adjust according to the batter's consistency.
Pan-fry
Heat a pan with a generous amount of oil, and pan-fry over medium-high heat until both sides are golden brown and crispy.
Ppunwife's tips
- Rather than adding all the potato starch at once, add it little by little to adjust according to the batter's consistency.
- Pan-frying it thin makes it crispy all the way through, while pan-frying it slightly thick makes it crispy on the outside and chewy inside.
- The seasoning is just right even without any extra sauce. You can also season it with half the amount of salt and dip it in ketchup or vinegar soy sauce.
FAQ
Do I discard all the liquid drained from the potatoes?
Pour off and discard the clear liquid from the strained potato juice, and use only the starch that settles at the bottom of the bowl mixed into the batter.
How does the texture change depending on how thick it is pan-fried?
If you spread the batter thinly, it becomes crispy all the way through; if you pan-fry it slightly thick, the outside stays crispy while the inside becomes chewy.
Should I add all the potato starch at once?
It is best not to add it all at once, but rather add it in small portions while checking and adjusting the consistency of the batter.
What kind of dipping sauce goes well with it?
It is already seasoned, so it is delicious on its own, but you can also season it lightly and serve it with ketchup or vinegar soy sauce.
