Haemul Pajeon- Authentic Korean Seafood Pancakes

Tired of the same old seafood options? Looking for a new way to serve seafood? Then have I got a dish for you “Haemul Pajeon- Authentic Korean Seafood Pancakes” This is one of my favorite dishes here in Korea, especially during lent season.

What is Haemul Pajeon?

In the Korean language, Pa is Scallion and Jeon means Pancake, when you put them together you get Pajeon or a Scallion Pancake. Similarly, Haemul means Seafood so Haemul Pajeon is a Korean Seafood Scallion Pancake, and it is a great addition to any menu regardless of the time of day.

Why We Love Korean Seafood Pancakes

Why do I love this dish? Well, first and foremost, it is “DELICIOUS” That’s right, it tastes absolutely amazing. While Western Style Pancakes are typically light and fluffy in texture, Korean pancakes are more dense, like an eggy crepe. I actually think they compare more to an omelet than a pancake and who doesn’t like a yummy seafood omelet?

What to Pair with this Dish

One of my favorite takeaways from Korean Cuisine is that Pancakes are good any time of day. Jeon is often served as street food or as a side dish with a variety of traditional Korean dishes. That means it can be served at any meal.

For Breakfast- As I said above, this dish comes across as an omelet to many westerners, and as such makes a natural transition to a breakfast menu and goes great with sausage or bacon and for me, a little rice of course.

For Lunch- I love to make this dish for a quick lunch. When cooking them, you can choose to make a large portion or a small portion based on your choice of pan. The large portion is best shared with 2-3 people, but I also like to make several smaller ones and then refrigerate them and eat them for lunch the next day cold or reheated. They make a great lunchtime meal that will carry you right through to dinner.

For Dinner- This dish is a main course to itself, but is often served with traditional Korean soups and side dishes to create an authentic Korean dining experience. Jeon or Pajeon are often served as a traditional side dish for other Korean main courses as well.

Vegan Options

Don’t like seafood? Want to keep it Vegan? No problem, the choice of toppings can be up to you, when shopping in the local Korean Markets, you often see a variety of Jeon being sold. With this dish, the sky is the limit. I love adding Oyster Mushrooms to mine in place of the seafood. The choice is up to you.

For some suggestions regarding ingredients that can be added and how it might change the texture click here: https://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=194272

Ingredients

1 Cup Plain Flour

1/2 Cup Glutinous Rice Flour

4 Eggs

10 Stalks Green Scallions (cut them into half)

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Grapeseed Oil

2 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp. White wine vinegar

2 Cloves Garlic (minced)

1 Cup Mixed Seafood

1/2 Cup Julienne (Matchstick) Carrots

2 Korean Chile Peppers (Red and Green)

1/2 Yellow Onion

Salt and Black Pepper (according to your taste)

How to Make Pancake Batter

Step 1: In a big bowl combine 1 cup plain flour and 1/2 cup glutinous rice flour, a pinch of salt and black pepper then combine.

Step 2: Add 1 egg and slowly add 1 cup of cold water whisk until evenly combined, the batter need to be on the thin side but not too watery see photo for consistency.

Dipping Sauce for Korean Scallion Pancake

Step 1: In a small bowl combine 2 tbsp. soy cause and 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

Step 2: Chopped red, green chili peppers, and chopped green onions then add into the mixing bowl

Step 3: Add salt and black peppers to taste

Step 4: Add sesame oil (optional)

How to Cook the Korean Scallion Pancake

Step 1: Heat non stick skillet and add 3 tbsp. oil over medium heat.

Step 2: Arrange all the green scallions (Cut in Half) to line the bottom of the pan, drizzle the batter until the green onions are partially covered, (see photo above) and add the seafood, fresh yellow onion, carrots (Julienne), thinly sliced red and green red chili peppers. Lastly, beat 1 egg with 2 tbsp. water until well combined then pour into the skillet cook up 3- 5 minutes until egg begins to firm up.

Step 3: Once it is golden brown on the edges, gently slide your spatula under the edge of the pancake and lift, tilting the pan and add oil underneath the pancake. Then flip the pancake so the seafood toppings are face down and cook for 2-3 more minutes until golden brown and crispy. You can check the color by gently lifting the edge of the pancake with your spatula. (Repeat process until all the pancake are cooked).

Step 4: Transfer to the prepared sheet pan with paper towel to drain. Once all the pancakes are finished cooking, cut them into squares and serve with a small bowl of the sauce. Yum!

In Conclusion

Well thank you for checking out my recipe, I hope you enjoy this dish. Also, if you enjoyed the post, please click the like button, make a comment below and/or subscribe to my Blog and Facebook page. Please keep your eyes open for more recipes and posts as I continue to explore new ways to help you make life just a little more fun by finding the best ways to “Live life one moment at a time”

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