Crispy Sebal Namul Jeon (Spergularia Pancake) with Dried Shrimp
A spring spergularia pancake pan-fried until crispy and chewy, enriched with savory umami from dried shrimp.
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 pancake uses toasted dried shrimp to bring out deep savory umami and keep it from getting soggy over time. Adding ice water or potato starch to a thin batter creates a texture that is crispy on the outside and moist inside. It makes a wonderful spring snack or accompaniment for drinks.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 2 pancakes, 23 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Sebalnamul (spergularia)200 g
- Dried shrimp1/2 cup
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)2
- Red chili pepper1
Pancake batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or frying mix (twigim-garu))1 cup
- Cold water (or ice water)1 cup
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or salt)1 tbsp
- Rinse the sebalnamul and drain well.
- Toast the dried shrimp in a dry pan to remove any off-smell.
- The red chili pepper is for color and can be omitted.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Rinse the sebalnamul (spergularia) and drain well.
Toast the dried shrimp in a dry pan to remove any off-smell. Cheongyang chili peppers (hot green chili) are prepared; the red chili pepper is for color and can be omitted.
Chop the ingredients
Large dried shrimp are hard to chew, so chop them finely, and chop the chili peppers finely as well.
Make the batter
Put all the ingredients into a bowl and pour in 1 cup of Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) or frying mix (twigim-garu).
If you reduce the pancake mix slightly and add potato starch, the pancake will turn out even crispier.
Add 1 tbsp of tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) to season the batter, then gradually pour in 1 cup of cold water or ice water while mixing.
Using sparkling water instead of plain water is also said to help achieve a crispier texture.
Even if the batter looks very thin, it holds together nicely once you start pan-frying.
Pan-fry
Heat a pan over high heat, swirl in a generous amount of oil, and add the mixture.
The sebalnamul tends to clump together because of the batter, so pull it apart as you spread it out to an even thickness.
Once the batter is spread across the pan, lower the heat to medium-low and shake the pan occasionally so it does not burn, pan-frying until golden brown and crispy.
Flip it over, swirl in more oil, and pan-fry the other side the same way.
Finish
Because sebalnamul is so slender, it binds together well, and keeping the batter thin ensures the pancake turns out thin and crispy rather than dense and doughy.
Using dried seafood like dried shrimp instead of moisture-rich fresh seafood adds savory umami and keeps the pancake from getting soggy over time.
The texture and umami of this sebalnamul jeon are incredible.
It is delicious seasoned fresh in muchim and just as wonderful pan-fried like this, so buy plenty and enjoy it both ways.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you reduce the pancake mix slightly and add potato starch, the pancake will turn out even crispier.
- Using sparkling water instead of plain water is also said to help achieve a crispier texture.
- Because sebalnamul is so slender, it binds together well, and keeping the batter thin ensures the pancake turns out thin and crispy rather than dense and doughy.
- Using dried seafood like dried shrimp instead of moisture-rich fresh seafood adds savory umami and keeps the pancake from getting soggy over time.
FAQ
How can I make the pancake turn out crispier?
You can reduce the pancake mix slightly and mix in potato starch, or use ice-cold water or sparkling water to enhance the crispiness even further.
Can I add the dried shrimp directly to the batter without prepping them?
It is best to toast the dried shrimp briefly in a dry pan to remove any off-smell, then chop them finely into bite-sized pieces before adding them.
Why use dried shrimp instead of fresh seafood?
Using dried seafood rather than moisture-rich fresh seafood brings out deep umami and prevents the pancake from becoming soggy after cooking.
Is it okay if the batter is runny?
Because sebalnamul is very slender, the batter needs to be thin so it pan-fries into a thin, crispy pancake without clumping or turning doughy.
