Korean Kimchi Pancake (Kimchi Jeon 김치전)

Korean kimchi pancake or known as Kimchi Jeon (김치전) – Super simple Korean appetizer that can warm your heart and tummy. Definitely one of my favorite snacks to have, especially in the cold winter days. A bit crispy on the outside and chewy inside with savory flavor in each bite. Oh, don’t forget to dip it in a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Each and every bite of these kimchi pancakes will please even the pickiest taste bud.

It is super easy to make Korean kimchi pancake or Kimchi Jeon (김치전). If you have these basic ingredients, all-purpose flour and kimchi, then you are pretty much set. All the other ingredients are to enhance the flavors – add shrimp, squid, pork belly, spam, scallion, onion, or anything that you like – you get the idea. Also, you can always use the store-bought Korean pancake mix, then add kimchi and any veggie or meat in it.

The Korean kimchi pancake recipe below is one combination that I like to make. I chopped the kimchi very fine and small so that my kids do not know it’s there as they do not like kimchi that much – yes, I know… Strangely, these kimchi pancakes ran out so fast and there are hardly any leftovers. It is a great kids’ lunch item as well, since it is easy to pack and not too messy for them to eat.

Tools I used:

• Non-stick pan – I like to use non-stick pan for making this Kimchi pancake (or any type of pancake really) and stir-frying in general. Easy cleaning and no need to scrub so hard as there is hardly any food stick to the pan after cooking.

Tip: Use potato starch or rice flour to make your kimchi jeon a bit crispier. If you prefer the Kimchi pancake to be not crispy, then only use all-purpose flour (replace potato starch and corn starch with all-purpose flour in the recipe below).

Ingredient:

• ½ lb shrimp – peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons potato starch (or replace with rice flour or corn starch)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup fermented kimchi – chopped
• ½ cup kimchi juice (or replace with water if there is no kimchi juice)
• ½ cup cold water
• 1 stalk of scallion – roughly chopped
• Olive oil to pan fry

Dipping Sauce

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• ½ teaspoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• A pinch of toasted sesame seed (Optional)

Direction:

• In a large mixing bowl, add all-purpose flour, potato starch, corn starch and salt. Mix well.
• Afterwards, add chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, water and chopped scallion.
• In a non-stick pan, pre-heat about one tablespoon of olive oil per one kimchi pancake under low-medium heat.
• In the meantime, combine all the dipping sauce ingredients, mix and set aside.
• Once the oil heated, pour the batter to the middle of the pan and spread it evenly to create a thin round layer.
• Cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the pancake is slightly golden brown.
• Repeat until all the batter are cooked.
• Serve with the dipping sauce and enjoy!