Crispy Maneuljjong Jeon (Garlic Scape Pancake)
A savory pancake combining the rich umami of toasted dried shrimp with crunchy garlic scapes.
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 savory pancake features crunchy garlic scapes paired with toasted dried shrimp for extra nuttiness and crispness. Seasoning the batter with tuna extract sauce provides plenty of savory umami, so you can enjoy it without any dipping sauce. It makes a wonderful rainy-day snack or pairing for makgeolli.
- Servings
- 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic scapes40 stalks, 200 g
- Dried shrimp1/2 cup (20 g)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
Pancake batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or deep-fried food (twigim))2/3 cup
- Water1/2 cup
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1/2 tbsp
- Omit the chili peppers if making this for children.
Steps
Toast the dried shrimp
Toasting the dried shrimp in a dry pan until crisp removes any off-flavors and brings out their nutty aroma before cooking.
Cut the ingredients
I cut the garlic scapes into small pieces around 1 cm long.
You can also cut them longer into 3 to 4 cm lengths, and finely mince the Cheongyang chili pepper.
Make the batter
Place the garlic scapes, dried shrimp, and Cheongyang chili peppers into a bowl, then add 2/3 cup Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) and season with 1/2 tbsp tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) so it can be enjoyed without dipping sauce.
Pour in 1/2 cup water and mix evenly to finish the batter.
Because the surface of garlic scapes is round and smooth, pieces can fall apart easily; using a bit more flour than in other batters creates better cohesion so they hold together nicely.
Pan-fry the pancakes
Heat a generous amount of oil in a heated pan and spoon the batter in small rounds.
I made them small fearing they might break apart, but they held together firmer than expected, so making them large would also work well.
Fry over medium heat, flip, and press down with a spatula. The loose, uneven surface flattens as the garlic scapes cook.
Add more oil as needed while pan-frying until golden brown on both sides.
Finish
Tasting one fresh out of the pan fills your mouth with nutty flavor.
The garlic scapes keep their crisp crunch even after cooling down.
How about a glass of makgeolli and garlic scape pancakes on a rainy day?
The seasoning was spot-on, so I enjoyed them without any seasoned soy sauce.
Ppunwife's tips
- Because the surface of garlic scapes is round and smooth, pieces can fall apart easily; using a bit more flour than in other batters creates better cohesion so they hold together nicely.
- Fry over medium heat, flip, and press down with a spatula. The loose, uneven surface flattens as the garlic scapes cook.
FAQ
Why toast the dried shrimp before cooking?
Toasting them in a dry pan removes off-flavors and greatly boosts their rich, nutty aroma.
How can I make this for children who cannot eat spicy food?
Simply omit the Cheongyang chili pepper to enjoy a mild version.
What is the trick to keep the pancake from falling apart?
Since garlic scapes are smooth, adjust the flour ratio slightly to improve cohesion, and press down with a spatula after flipping so it flattens and binds well.
What can I substitute for tuna extract sauce?
You can substitute an equal amount of soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) to season the batter.
