Crispy Buchu Jeon (Garlic Chive Pancake) with Squid
A savory Korean pancake made with garlic chives and squid, pan-fried to a crisp using a batter of potato starch and ice water.
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 brings together fragrant garlic chives and chewy squid for extra umami and rich flavor. Adding potato starch and cold ice water to the batter, then pan-frying it over medium heat in plenty of oil, keeps the exterior wonderfully crispy. A subtle kick from Cheongyang chili peppers makes it perfect as a snack or an accompaniment to drinks.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servingsOriginal: 2 pancakes, 25 cm across
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Garlic chives (buchu)250 g
- Squid1 whole, 1 cup (small, chopped)
- Carrot1/2
- Cheongyang chili pepper (hot green chili)3
Pancake Batter
- Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu)1 1/2 cups
- Potato starch1/2 cup
- Ice water1 1/2 cups
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) (or soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang))2 tbsp
- For the buchu jeon ingredients, you need about two handfuls of garlic chives, and 1 small squid. Once finely chopped, it should measure about one cup. You also need 1 small carrot and 3 Cheongyang chili peppers.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
For the buchu jeon ingredients, you need about two handfuls of garlic chives, and 1 small squid. Once finely chopped, it should measure about one cup.
You also need 1 small carrot and 3 Cheongyang chili peppers.
Cut the ingredients
Cut the garlic chives into lengths of around 3 cm.
Chop the squid a bit smaller than the garlic chives.
Thinly julienne the carrot to a similar length as the garlic chives, and finely chop the Cheongyang chili peppers.
Make the pancake batter
Place all the chopped ingredients into a bowl...
Pour in 1 1/2 cups Korean pancake mix and 1/2 cup potato starch...
Add 2 tbsp tuna extract sauce or soup soy sauce to season the batter.
Pour in 1 1/2 cups cold water with melted ice and mix everything together.
Adding a bit of potato starch to the batter, or using ice water or sparkling water, is a tip for making pancakes crispy.
Mix just until no dry flour is visible and the batter coats the ingredients well.
Pan-fry
Heat a pan over high heat, add a generous amount of cooking oil, then spoon in the batter and spread it thin.
Lower the heat to medium, shake the pan occasionally, and fry until the bottom turns golden brown.
If there is too little oil or the temperature is too low, the pancake will not get crispy and will end up soggy, soaking up oil.
Flip it over, add more oil, and pan-fry the other side the exact same way.
Finish
The buchu jeon is done.
Adding chewy, flavorful squid makes it twice as savory.
It is already well-seasoned so you do not need a vinegar dipping soy sauce, but if you like dipping it in soy sauce, you can cut the seasoning in the batter by half.
Autumn garlic chives are thin and tender, so even packed closely together the aroma is wonderful.
Even when you do not plan on having a drink, a savory pancake like this easily tempts you.
Ppunwife's tips
- Adding a bit of potato starch to the batter, or using ice water or sparkling water, is a tip for making pancakes crispy.
- If there is too little oil or the temperature is too low, the pancake will not get crispy and will end up soggy, soaking up oil.
- It is already well-seasoned so you do not need a vinegar dipping soy sauce, but if you like dipping it in soy sauce, you can cut the seasoning in the batter by half.
FAQ
Is there a batter tip for making pancakes crispy?
Mixing potato starch into the batter or using cold ice water or sparkling water helps bring out a crispy texture.
How should I adjust the oil and heat when pan-frying?
Heat the pan over high heat, add plenty of cooking oil, spread the batter thin, then lower to medium heat and fry until golden brown. If the oil is insufficient or the temperature is too low, the pancake can turn soggy.
Can I use soup soy sauce instead of tuna extract sauce?
Yes, you can substitute soup soy sauce for tuna extract sauce in the same amount, 2 tbsp, to season the batter.
How should I adjust the seasoning if I want to serve it with vinegar soy sauce?
Since the base batter is already seasoned, if you want to serve it with soy sauce, it is best to cut the amount of tuna extract sauce or soup soy sauce in the batter in half.
