Pajeon (Scallion Pancake)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet
• •Wide spatula
• •Mixing bowl
• •Wire rack or paper-lined plate

Instructions

1. 1

   Trim the scallions

   Trim the roots and any tired green tips. If the white ends are thicker than a pencil, split them lengthwise so they soften before the green tops scorch. Cut very long scallions in half crosswise only if your skillet is small; whole lengths give pajeon its proper shape.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Whisk the flour, rice flour or potato starch, salt, and sugar in a bowl. Stir in the ice-cold water, then the beaten egg, just until no dry flour remains. Do not beat it smooth for sport. A few small lumps are better than a tough pancake, because overworked flour gives chew where you want crispness.

   Cold batter meeting hot oil makes the edges lace and crisp. If your kitchen is warm, set the bowl in the refrigerator while the pan heats.
3. 3

   Heat the pan

   Set a 10-inch nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. The oil should shimmer and move easily across the pan before the scallions go in. If the pan is timid, the pancake drinks oil and turns heavy.

4. 4

   Lay the scallions

   Lay half the scallions in the pan in a tight single layer, alternating white ends and green tops so the pancake cooks evenly. Pour about 1/2 cup batter over them, using a spoon to nudge it into gaps. Leave some scallion exposed. This is not a blanket; it is mortar.

5. 5

   Fry until set

   Cook 4 to 5 minutes, pressing lightly once with a spatula after the first minute. Do not keep fussing with it. The bottom should be deep golden in patches, the edges crisp and lacy, and the top mostly set with a few wet streaks before you turn it.

6. 6

   Flip and crisp

   Slide a wide spatula under the pancake and flip it in one confident motion. Drizzle 1 tablespoon oil around the edge, then cook 3 to 4 minutes more, pressing once or twice so the scallions meet the pan. The second side should brown, and the pancake should feel firm enough to lift without sagging.

7. 7

   Repeat and sauce

   Move the first pancake to a rack or paper-lined plate and repeat with the remaining scallions, batter, and oil. Stir together the soy sauce, vinegar, water, gochugaru if using, sesame seeds, and sliced scallion. Cut the pajeon into rough squares and serve it right away, while the edges still answer your teeth.

Chef Tips

• •Use Korean jjokpa if you can find them. They are tender and slim, with a clean onion sweetness. If you use supermarket green onions, choose thin ones and split the whites.
• •Rice flour or potato starch is not there for fashion. Two tablespoons lightens the batter and helps the edge crisp without making the pancake brittle.
• •A safe shortcut is bottled Korean pancake mix, buchimgaru, used in place of the flour, starch, salt, and sugar. Still keep the batter cold and sparse. The unsafe shortcut is chopping the scallions small and burying them in batter, because then you have made a different pancake.
• •For haemul pajeon, scatter 120g chopped squid, shrimp, or clams over the scallions before adding batter. Pat seafood dry first, or it will water the pan and soften the crust.
• •Leftovers can be reheated in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not microwave pajeon unless you enjoy apologizing to scallions.

Advance Preparation

• •Trim and split the scallions up to 1 day ahead, then wrap them in a barely damp towel and refrigerate. Dry them well before cooking so the batter clings.
• •The dipping sauce can be mixed up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated. Add the sliced scallion shortly before serving so it stays fresh.
• •Mix the batter only right before cooking. If it sits too long, the flour hydrates and the finished pancake turns heavier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 145g)