Hobak-jeon (Zucchini Jeon)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Wide nonstick or well-seasoned skillet, 10 to 12 inches
• •Two shallow dishes for flour and egg
• •Cooling rack or paper towel-lined tray
• •Thin spatula or chopsticks for turning

Instructions

1. 1

   Slice and salt

   Cut the zucchini into even 6 mm rounds. Lay them in one layer on a tray and sprinkle both sides with 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Rest 10 minutes. The salt seasons the center and pulls out surface moisture, so the flour clings instead of turning gummy.

   Do not slice thicker than 8 mm. Thick rounds stay watery inside while the egg browns outside.
2. 2

   Blot them dry

   Pat each round dry with a clean towel or paper towel, top and bottom. Be thorough. Water left on the surface makes bare patches in the coating, and bare patches leak juice into the oil.

3. 3

   Set the coating

   Put the flour in a shallow dish. Beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon water and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a second shallow dish until no thick streaks of white remain. The water loosens the egg just enough for a thin coat; heavy egg hides the zucchini.

4. 4

   Dust with flour

   Dredge the zucchini rounds lightly in flour, then tap off every bit of excess. You should still see the green edge clearly. Too much flour makes a pasty layer between the vegetable and the egg.

5. 5

   Dip in egg

   Dip each floured round into the beaten egg and let the excess drip back into the dish. If using red chili, press one thin slice onto the top of some rounds now. It is a small holiday face, not a requirement.

6. 6

   Pan-fry gently

   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide skillet over medium-low heat. Add the rounds in one layer with space between them. Cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the first side, until pale gold, then turn and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. The zucchini should be just tender, not collapsed, and the egg should stay yellow-gold rather than brown.

   If the egg browns in under a minute, lower the heat. Jeon needs patience. Hot oil gives you color before the vegetable is cooked.
7. 7

   Finish batches

   Move the cooked jeon to a rack or a paper towel-lined tray. Wipe out browned egg bits before the next batch and add more oil as needed, about 1 tablespoon at a time. Clean oil keeps the next round tasting fresh.

8. 8

   Mix and serve

   Stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sesame seeds, and scallion for a light cho-ganjang (soy-vinegar dipping sauce). Serve the hobak-jeon warm or at room temperature. Do not drown it in sauce; touch one edge and eat.

Chef Tips

• •Buy aehobak if you can, especially in summer when it is slim, pale green, and tender. If using Western zucchini, choose small firm ones with tight skin and few seeds.
• •A plastic bag for flouring is a safe shortcut: add the flour and zucchini, shake gently, then tap off the excess. The corner you cannot cut is blotting after salting.
• •Medium-low heat is correct. Jeon should cook through calmly. If your oil is too hot, the egg browns hard and the zucchini stays raw at the center.
• •For a holiday platter, cook hobak-jeon after fish or meat jeon only if you have wiped the pan clean. Better still, cook it first. Its flavor is quiet and picks up old oil too easily.

Advance Preparation

• •Slice and salt the zucchini up to 2 hours ahead, then blot well and refrigerate covered. Flour and egg only just before frying, or the coating turns wet.
• •Hobak-jeon is best the day it is cooked, but leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated. Rewarm in a dry skillet over low heat until the egg coating softens and the edges regain a little life.
• •The dipping sauce can be mixed 1 day ahead. Add the scallion and sesame shortly before serving so they do not dull.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 150g)