Sweet and Crispy Hobak Jeon (Pan Fried Zucchini)
A crispy Korean pancake made by lightly salting zucchini and adding tuna extract sauce for deep savory flavor.
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 hobak jeon uses firm round Korean zucchini, lightly salted to soften while keeping a tender yet crisp bite. Tuna extract sauce is mixed right into the batter to season it and add rich savory flavor, so you can enjoy it without dipping sauce. It is an easy pancake to fry up on a rainy day, perfect as a snack or a makgeolli side dish.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 2 pancakes, 23 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Round Korean zucchini (or 2 Korean zucchinis (aehobak))1, 500 g (after cleaning)
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)1
- Red chili pepper1
- Salt1/2 tsp
Batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or deep-fried food (twigim))1 1/2 cups
- Anchovy broth (or water)2/3 cup
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))1 tbsp
- As zucchini grows larger and matures, seeds fill the center, so scrape them out cleanly before cooking.
- You can substitute 2 Korean zucchinis (aehobak) for the round Korean zucchini.
- You can also prepare dried shrimp for added chew and savory flavor.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
I prepared round Korean zucchini, and 1 each of Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili) and red chili pepper.
You can also prepare dried shrimp for texture and savory umami flavor.
Slice the ingredients
Scrape out the seeds from the zucchini and slice it into strips, not too thin.
Finely slice the chili peppers into small rounds.
Salt the zucchini
Because the zucchini is firm, add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit for about 10 minutes to soften.
Let it sit just until it turns slightly moist and wilts a bit. If you salt it too long, it will turn mushy when fried.
Tender Korean zucchini does not need to be salted at all; you can mix it directly into the batter.
Make the batter
Add the zucchini and chili peppers to a bowl, along with 1 1/2 cups Korean pancake mix...
Pour in 2/3 cup water or anchovy broth, and add 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce to season and add savory flavor.
Because of the moisture released from the lightly salted zucchini, use less water than usual and mix evenly.
Fry the pancakes
Heat the pan over high heat, add a generous amount of cooking oil, and make sure the batter sizzles as it hits the pan so it turns out crispy and absorbs less oil.
Lower the heat to medium and fry until golden brown on both sides.
Finish
Lightly salting the firm round Korean zucchini before frying gives it a tender yet crisp texture.
Since it is in season, the rich aroma and sweetness of the round zucchini really shine.
The batter is already seasoned, so you can tear off bite after bite without needing vinegar soy sauce.
If you want to serve it with vinegar soy sauce, simply omit the tuna extract sauce from the batter.
I woke up early to start the day to the loud sound of rain with thunder and lightning.
Have a relaxing holiday with a delicious snack.
Ppunwife's tips
- Let it sit just until it turns slightly moist and wilts a bit. If you salt it too long, it will turn mushy when fried.
- Tender Korean zucchini does not need to be salted at all; you can mix it directly into the batter.
- Heat the pan over high heat, add a generous amount of cooking oil, and make sure the batter sizzles as it hits the pan so it turns out crispy and absorbs less oil.
- If you want to serve it with vinegar soy sauce, simply omit the tuna extract sauce from the batter.
FAQ
Can I use regular Korean zucchini instead of round Korean zucchini?
You can substitute 2 Korean zucchinis (aehobak) for the round Korean zucchini. Since regular Korean zucchini is tender, you can mix it straight into the batter without salting it first.
Is there anything to keep in mind when salting the zucchini?
Add 1/2 tsp salt and let it sit lightly for only about 10 minutes. If you salt it too long, the pancake can turn mushy when fried.
How should I make the batter if I want to dip it in vinegar soy sauce?
If you plan to serve it with vinegar soy sauce on the side, simply omit the tuna extract sauce from the batter.
Is there a trick to frying the pancake so it absorbs less oil and stays crispy?
Heat the pan over high heat first, then add the cooking oil. Make sure the batter makes a sizzling sound as it hits the pan; this keeps it crispy and prevents it from soaking up too much oil.
