Tender and Savory Jeon (Pan-Fried Battered Pancake)
A holiday jeon made by lightly seasoning pollock fillets and Korean zucchini, then pan-frying them until tender and savory.
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 →
Savory pan-fried pollock fillets and sweet Korean zucchini jeon, both commonly served for holidays and ancestral memorial rites. The pollock fillets are treated with mirin and pressed between your palms to remove fishiness and moisture, while the Korean zucchini is sliced thick and salted to bring out its tender texture. Well-seasoned from the start, they can be enjoyed for their natural flavor even without a dipping sauce.
- Servings
- about 4–5 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
Pollock fillet jeon
- Pollock fillets (or dried cod fillets)1 pack
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Flour3 tbsp
- Egg2
Korean zucchini jeon
- Korean zucchini (aehobak)1
- Salta little
- Flour3 tbsp
- Egg2
- Let frozen pollock fillets thaw halfway in the refrigerator, take them out, and drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp of mirin to remove any fishy odor and let them thaw completely.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Let frozen pollock fillets thaw halfway in the refrigerator, take them out, and drizzle evenly with 2 tbsp of mirin to remove any fishy odor and let them thaw completely.
When pan-frying pollock fillet jeon, topping them with crown daisy makes them look pretty, and the fragrant crown daisy aroma makes them even more delicious.
Prepare the flour and eggs. Beat the eggs so there are no lumps and strain them once through a sieve, and the egg wash will coat evenly and beautifully.
Season the pollock fillets
Gently press any remaining moisture out of the pollock fillets between both palms to remove it completely, then lightly sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper to season.
Season the Korean zucchini
Slice the Korean zucchini into rounds at least 0.5 cm thick. If sliced too thin, they lose their texture and become limp and soggy.
Lightly sprinkle with salt; as time passes and the salt dissolves, beads of moisture will form on the zucchini surface.
Press with a paper towel to remove it.
Coat in egg wash and pan-fry
Coat lightly in flour, then dip evenly in the egg wash.
If you want a deeper yellow color, just add one or two more egg yolks.
Heat a generous amount of oil in a heated pan, add the egg-coated pollock fillets, place crown daisy on top cut to size, and press down lightly so it sticks securely.
Pan-fry slowly over medium heat until golden brown on both sides so the fish flesh cooks through completely.
For the Korean zucchini, coat in flour, dip in egg wash, and pan-fry the same way.
It also looks pretty if you top the Korean zucchini with finely sliced red chili pepper while pan-frying.
Finish
When making jeon coated in flour and egg wash, having all ingredients prepped and ready lets you pan-fry them quickly in no time.
Pollock jeon and Korean zucchini jeon definitely taste better when pre-seasoned. The seasoning is just right even when eaten plain without dipping sauce.
If you like, you can also serve them with seasoned vinegar soy sauce. (Seasoned vinegar soy sauce = 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang), 1/2 tbsp vinegar, 1 tbsp mirin (cooking rice wine), a little toasted sesame seeds)
You must remove moisture completely so the oil does not splatter while pan-frying, allowing you to fully enjoy the tender flesh of the pollock.
It also keeps their shape firm without becoming soggy.
Ppunwife's tips
- Beat the eggs so there are no lumps and strain them once through a sieve, and the egg wash will coat evenly and beautifully.
- Slice the Korean zucchini into rounds at least 0.5 cm thick. If sliced too thin, they lose their texture and become limp and soggy.
- If you want a deeper yellow color, just add one or two more egg yolks.
- You must remove moisture completely so the oil does not splatter while pan-frying and you can fully enjoy the tender flesh of the pollock.
FAQ
How do I remove the fishy odor from pollock fillets and keep them from breaking apart?
Thaw them halfway in the refrigerator, drizzle with mirin to eliminate the fishiness, and gently press them between your palms to firmly squeeze out moisture so they stay firm.
How thick should I slice the Korean zucchini when making jeon?
Slice it at least 0.5 cm thick to preserve its texture and keep it from turning limp or soggy once pan-fried.
Is there a way to give jeon a prettier yellow color?
Strain the beaten egg wash through a sieve to remove the chalaza, and add 1 to 2 extra egg yolks to your liking for a rich yellow hue.
Can I use cod fillets instead of pollock fillets?
Yes, cod fillets are also listed in the ingredients, so you can pan-fry them using the exact same method.
