Crispy Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi Pancake) with Starch
Kimchi jeon pan-fried crispy on the outside with potato starch, mellowing the stale smell of aged kimchi.
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 kimchi pancake tames the stale smell and intense sourness of aged kimchi with sugar and toasted sesame oil, while mixing in potato starch for a crisp texture. Instead of seafood, anchovy broth adds deep savory flavor, making it great as a snack when you feel peckish or as bar food.
- Servings
- about 1–2 servingsOriginal: 1 pancake, 23 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Aged sour kimchi2 cups (aged kimchi)
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Scallions (jjokpa) (or large green onion (daepa))10 stalks
Batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu)1 cup
- Potato starch1/2 cup
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Anchovy broth1 cup
- For aged kimchi with a stale smell, mixing in 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and letting it sit will neutralize the sourness and remove the off-odor.
- The root ends of the scallions are firm, so chop them more finely.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Finely chop aged sour kimchi or aged kimchi to make 2 cups.
Also prepare 10 stalks of scallions.
Cut the scallions
Cut the scallions to roughly the same length as the kimchi.
The root ends are firm, so chop them more finely.
Season the aged kimchi
Here is the 3-year-old aged kimchi chosen for the kimchi pancake.
It has a strong sourness and seems to have a slightly stale smell, so add 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, mix together, and set aside briefly so the sourness is neutralized and the fragrant toasted sesame oil gets rid of the off-odor.
Make the batter
Add 1 cup Korean pancake mix and 1/2 cup potato starch to the cut ingredients.
A certain amount of potato starch goes in to make the pancake crispy.
Since there is no seafood, pour in 2/3 cup anchovy broth for savory flavor and mix, then add 1 tbsp gochugaru to give it color and finish the batter.
Pan-fry
Heat the pan over high heat, add a generous amount of oil, spread the batter out evenly.
Lower to medium heat so it cooks evenly to the center without burning, and pan-fry on both sides until crispy.
Finish
The kimchi pancake is done.
Eating it right after pan-frying makes it taste truly heavenly.
There is no stale smell from the aged kimchi at all.
Can you feel the crispiness of the kimchi jeon (kimchi pancake)?
Thanks to seasoning it with sugar, the intense sourness becomes just the right pleasant tang, making it so good to eat.
I only fried one pancake and was so sad when it was gone that I mixed up another batch.
Ppunwife's tips
- A certain amount of potato starch goes in to make the pancake crispy.
- Heat the pan over high heat, add a generous amount of oil, spread the batter out evenly, then lower to medium heat so it cooks evenly to the center without burning, and pan-fry on both sides until crispy.
FAQ
How do you reduce the stale smell and strong sourness of old aged kimchi?
Toss the kimchi with 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and let it sit; this neutralizes the sourness and the nuttiness of the sesame oil removes the off-odor.
Can I use another ingredient instead of scallions?
You can use large green onion instead of 10 stalks of scallions.
How should I control the heat when pan-frying the pancake?
Heat the pan over high heat, add plenty of oil, spread the batter, then lower to medium heat so it cooks through without burning, pan-frying both sides.
