Crispy Hobak Jeon (Pan Fried Zucchini)
A savory pancake made by frying thinly sliced round Korean zucchini and scallions until crispy.
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 →
In-season round Korean zucchini pairs with the fragrant sweetness of scallions to create a pancake that is crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Potato starch and anchovy broth bring out deep savoriness and great texture, making it perfect as a snack or with drinks.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 2 pancakes, 22 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Round Korean zucchini (or or 1 Korean zucchini (aehobak))1/2, 300 g
- Scallions (jjokpa)150 g
- Red Cheongyang chili pepper2
Batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) (or frying mix (twigim-garu))1 cup
- Potato starch4 tbsp
- Anchovy broth (or cold water)1 1/3 cups
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)1 tbsp
- You can pour cold water instead of anchovy broth, and although I did not have sparkling water to add, sparkling water is also great for ultimate crispiness.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
You need 1/2 round Korean zucchini (put-hobak), about a handful of scallions (jjokpa), and 2 hot red chili peppers.
Slice the ingredients
Slice the zucchini into thin matchsticks and finely slice the chili peppers.
Cut the scallions to match the length of the zucchini.
Make the batter
Add 1 cup of Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) or frying mix (twigim-garu) and 4 tbsp of potato starch to the sliced ingredients, then add 1 tbsp of tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) to season it.
Pour in 1 1/3 cups of anchovy broth and mix to form the batter.
You can pour cold water instead of anchovy broth, and although I did not have sparkling water to add, sparkling water is also great for ultimate crispiness.
Pan-fry
Heat the pan over high heat first, add a generous amount of oil, and spread the batter out thinly.
If you do not hear a cheerful sizzle when the batter hits the pan, the pancake can turn soggy, so heat the pan a bit more before frying.
Lower the heat to medium and cook until the bottom is crispy and golden brown.
Shake the pan occasionally so the oil spreads across the entire batter, which helps it fry up evenly crispy.
Flip it over, press down with a spatula, swirl in a bit more oil, and fry until crispy.
Finish
The hobak jeon is ready.
Hobak jeon is one of my favorite savory pancakes.
The sweetness and texture of zucchini grown under the hot sun are wonderful.
It is a savory pancake where the subtle sweetness and fragrant aroma of zucchini blend beautifully with the sweetness of scallions.
Ppunwife's tips
- If you do not hear a cheerful sizzle when the batter hits the pan, the pancake can turn soggy, so heat the pan a bit more before frying.
- Shake the pan occasionally so the oil spreads across the entire batter, which helps it fry up evenly crispy.
FAQ
Can I use Korean zucchini (aehobak) instead of round Korean zucchini?
You can substitute 1 Korean zucchini for half a round Korean zucchini.
What should I use if I do not have anchovy broth?
You can use cold water instead of broth, and if you want an even crispier texture, sparkling water works well too.
Is there a tip to keep the pancake from getting soggy while frying?
Heat the pan thoroughly over high heat, add plenty of oil, and make sure it sizzles when the batter goes in so it stays crisp instead of getting soggy.
