Saewoo Jeon (Pan-Fried Battered Shrimp)
Saewoo jeon (pan-fried battered shrimp) pan-fried to a lovely color with mirin to remove odors and an extra egg yolk.
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 jeon dish uses prepped frozen shrimp, drizzled with mirin to cleanly remove fishiness before pan-frying to a golden hue. Adding an extra egg yolk to the egg wash creates a bright, vibrant color, making it perfect for holidays or memorial ancestral rite tables.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Stretched shrimp (nobashi shrimp)1 pack (30)
- Egg2 (1)
- Flour (or korean pancake mix (buchim-garu))2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Salta little
- Ground black peppera little
- When thawing frozen fish or seafood, adding mirin or soju to let it thaw naturally removes the fishy smell and speeds up the thawing process.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Prepare the ingredients including stretched shrimp (nobashi shrimp), eggs, flour, mirin (cooking rice wine), salt, and ground black pepper.
Prepare the shrimp
They are neatly packaged, so they are easy to prepare right away. Drizzle mirin over the frozen shrimp little by little in the center, and it will naturally flow toward the edges. Spread about 2 tbsp of mirin all over them. Drizzling mirin like this speeds up thawing and effectively eliminates any fishy taste from the shrimp.
Make the egg wash
While the shrimp thaw, prepare the egg wash. If you pan-fry with 2 eggs plus 1 extra yolk, the golden color stands out, making the jeon look much more appetizing. Straining it through a sieve coats the shrimp evenly without clumping. Prepare a little flour or Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) as well.
Remove moisture and season the shrimp
Gently press the fully thawed shrimp with paper towels to remove moisture, then lightly sprinkle with salt and ground black pepper to season. Thread skewers through two spots, the head and tail sections, keeping the shrimp tails intact, with 6 shrimp per skewer.
Pan-fry the shrimp jeon
When dusting with flour, place the flour in a sieve and tap it gently with your hand to coat evenly. Dust it once or twice more as the flour absorbs, which easily and evenly coats them. I use this method because it is simple and there is no need to shake off excess flour. Coat thoroughly with egg wash, let the excess drip off slightly, and pan-fry. If you get greedy and add extra egg wash, it will look messy. Generously coat a heated pan with cooking oil and fry over medium-low heat, pressing gently with a spatula so the inside cooks thoroughly and the surface stays neat.
Finish
Adding one extra yolk makes the color truly beautiful. If you fry them like this for ancestral rites or holiday spreads, it will look like high-end jeon. Eating them fresh off the pan, the savory aroma fills the air.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you pan-fry with 2 eggs plus 1 extra yolk, the golden color stands out, making the jeon look much more appetizing.
- Straining the egg wash through a sieve coats the jeon evenly without clumping.
- Dusting the flour through a sieve while gently tapping makes it easy to coat evenly without having to shake off excess.
- If you apply too much egg wash it becomes messy, so let the excess drip off slightly before pan-frying.
- Pan-fry over medium-low heat while pressing gently with a spatula to cook the inside thoroughly and keep the surface neat.
FAQ
How do I remove the fishy smell from frozen shrimp?
When thawing the shrimp, evenly drizzle mirin over the surface and let it thaw naturally to cleanly eliminate any odors.
Is there a way to give shrimp jeon a prettier color?
Mix 2 eggs with 1 additional egg yolk and pass it through a sieve once for a lovely golden color.
Can I use Korean pancake mix instead of flour?
You can use Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) in the exact same amount instead of flour.
How should I adjust the heat when pan-frying the jeon?
Add plenty of cooking oil and cook over medium-low heat, pressing lightly with a spatula, so the outside does not burn and the inside cooks properly.
