Crispy and Chewy Cockle Pancake: A Winter Delicacy
Crispy and Chewy Cockle Pancake: A Winter Delicacy
Delicious Cockle Pancake Recipe Using Seasonal Cockles
Introducing a special winter delicacy made with fresh, in-season cockles: the cockle pancake recipe! While spicy and sweet cockle salad is delicious, try enjoying them as a crispy and chewy pancake. It’s a simple yet impressive dish, perfect as a snack with drinks or as a side dish for your meal! ^^
Cockle Pancake Ingredients- 1kg fresh cockles
- 2 parts pancake mix
- 1 part tempura powder
- 1 fresh egg
- Cold water (for adjusting batter consistency)
- A little chopped green onion
- A little soju (to remove fishy smell)
- Plenty of cooking oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, the purging process is crucial for maintaining the freshness of the cockles and removing impurities. Fill a clean bowl with cold water and dissolve about 2-3 tablespoons of coarse salt. Add the cockles to this saltwater, and place a stainless steel spoon along with them. The spoon helps the cockles expel mud and sand as they bump against it when moving. Cover the bowl with a black plastic bag to create darkness, as this encourages the cockles to purge more effectively. Let them purge for about 2 hours.
Step 2
After purging, rinse the cockles thoroughly under running water, rubbing them with your hands. This step is important to remove any mud or debris stuck to the shells. If the water becomes cloudy after rinsing, change the water and continue rinsing until the water runs clear. This ensures the cockles are completely clean.
Step 3
Now it’s time to cook the cockles. Fill a pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add the purged and cleaned cockles. To eliminate any fishy odor characteristic of cockles, add 1-2 tablespoons of cooking wine or soju to the boiling water. This will result in a cleaner taste.
Step 4
When the cockles start to open their shells, they are perfectly cooked. Usually, once about 3-4 cockles have opened, turn off the heat and remove the cockles. Be careful not to overcook them, as this can make the meat tough. Transfer the cockles to a cooling rack and let them cool slightly. Once they are cool enough to handle, carefully pry open the shells and extract the plump cockle meat, setting it aside.
Step 5
Prepare the batter for your delicious cockle pancakes. In a bowl, combine pancake mix and tempura powder in a 2:1 ratio (e.g., 200g pancake mix, 100g tempura powder). Crack in 1 fresh egg and gradually add cold water while mixing with chopsticks until a smooth batter forms, ensuring there are no lumps. The batter should be pourable, neither too thick nor too thin.
Step 6
Add the finely chopped green onions and the extracted cockle meat to the prepared batter. Gently mix with a spatula or spoon, being careful not to mash the cockle meat. This will help preserve the chewy texture of the cockles in the pancake. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly incorporated into the batter.
Step 7
Finally, it’s time to cook the cockle pancakes to perfection. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Spoon portions of the batter onto the hot pan. Cook until golden brown and crispy on one side, then flip and cook the other side until golden brown and crispy. You’ll have delicious cockle pancakes that are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside. For an extra touch of flavor, serve with a soy-based dipping sauce.
