Dongnae-pajeon (Busan Scallion Pancake)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet
• •Wide flexible spatula
• •Plate for assisted flipping
• •Clean kitchen towel for drying scallions and seafood

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the scallions

   Wash the jjokpa and trim the roots, keeping the white and green parts whole. Cut only if they are longer than your pan, about 8 to 9 inches is right. Pat them very dry. Wet scallions make the batter slide off, and then you have fried onion grass instead of pajeon.

2. 2

   Season the beef

   Mix the beef with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, the minced garlic, and black pepper. Let it sit 10 minutes while you make the batter. The beef should season the pancake quietly, not turn the whole pan into bulgogi.

3. 3

   Drain the seafood

   Pat the seafood dry on a towel and cut large pieces bite-size. This matters more than people admit. Seafood carries water, and water loosens the batter, so drain it before it ever meets the pan.

4. 4

   Mix the batter

   Whisk the rice flour, all-purpose flour, sweet rice flour, salt, and cold water until smooth but still loose, like thin cream. Do not make a thick pancake batter. Dongnae-pajeon should settle around the scallions and set softly, with the rice flour giving tenderness and chew.

   손맛 is real. I still measure it. If your rice flour drinks more water, add 1 tablespoon cold water at a time until the batter runs off the whisk in a thin ribbon.
5. 5

   Start the base

   Heat a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Spoon in 1/4 cup batter, then lay half the scallions side by side across the pan, whites alternating left and right so the pancake cooks evenly. Spoon another 1/4 cup batter over them. The scallions are the body of the dish; the batter is only there to hold them.

6. 6

   Add toppings

   Scatter half the seafood, half the seasoned beef, and half the sliced chilies over the scallions. Press them lightly with the spatula so they settle into the batter. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottom is set and pale golden at the edges.

7. 7

   Pour the egg

   Spoon half the beaten egg over the top, letting it run between the scallions and toppings. This is the Dongnae habit people miss when they chase only crispness. The egg sets the top soft and custardy, binding the seafood and beef without burying the scallions.

8. 8

   Turn it once

   When the bottom holds together, slide a wide spatula under the pancake and turn it in one confident motion. If your pan is small or your courage is honest, slide it onto a plate, invert the pan over it, and flip both together. Cook 3 minutes more, pressing gently once or twice, until the egg is set and the seafood is cooked through.

9. 9

   Finish gently

   Turn the pancake back scallion-side up for 30 seconds if you want the top neater. It should be golden in patches, soft at the center, and lightly crisp only at the edges. Repeat with the remaining batter, scallions, toppings, egg, and oil.

10. 10

    Make the sauce

    Stir together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, minced scallion, sesame seeds, and a pinch of gochugaru if using. Cut the pajeon into broad squares and serve at once with the sauce. The vinegar wakes up the oil and egg, so do not skip it.

Chef Tips

• •Use jjokpa if you can find it. If not, choose the thinnest scallions at the market and split any thick white ends lengthwise. Big supermarket scallions stay raw in the middle and make the pancake bulge.
• •The safe shortcut is a nonstick pan. The unsafe shortcut is thick batter. Thick batter turns this into an ordinary flour pancake and hides the scallions, which are the reason the dish exists.
• •Oysters are good here in cold months. In warmer months, use squid and shrimp, which behave more politely in the pan. Cook the month you're standing in.
• •Do not drown the dipping sauce in sugar. Dongnae-pajeon already has egg, seafood, beef, and oil. It needs sharp soy vinegar, not sweetness.

Advance Preparation

• •The scallions can be washed, trimmed, and dried up to 1 day ahead. Wrap them in a towel and refrigerate so they stay dry and straight.
• •The beef can be sliced and seasoned up to 4 hours ahead. Keep it refrigerated, then bring it out 15 minutes before cooking.
• •Mix the dry batter ingredients ahead, but add water only right before cooking. A rested rice-flour batter thickens and loses the loose pour this pancake needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)