Mom’s Soul Food: Super Easy Stuffed Pepper Pancakes (Gochu Jeon)
Mom’s Soul Food: Super Easy Stuffed Pepper Pancakes (Gochu Jeon)
My Mother-in-law’s Soul Food: The Nostalgic Gochu Jeon
This Gochu Jeon (stuffed pepper pancake) was made by my mother-in-law, who absolutely loved flour-based dishes. She always made it incredibly simple and easy, perfect for even the most novice cooks to whip up quickly. Enjoy this taste of warm, homemade comfort.
Essential Ingredients- Green peppers (choose your favorite variety)
- Salt (for salting the peppers)
- Pancake mix (buchim garu)
- Eggs
- Canola oil (or any cooking oil)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your fresh green peppers. Remove the stems and carefully slice each pepper in half lengthwise. Gently shake out the seeds to reduce spiciness for a milder flavor. Sprinkle salt evenly inside the cut peppers and let them sit for about 30 minutes to salt. This process wilts the peppers, making them tender and infusing them with flavor.
Step 2
After 30 minutes of salting, drain the peppers using a sieve.
Step 3
Gently press the drained peppers with your hands to remove excess water. Removing as much moisture as possible is crucial for achieving a crispy Gochu Jeon without a soggy batter.
Step 4
Pour a generous amount of pancake mix into a wide bowl.
Step 5
Crack the eggs into the pancake mix. Eggs will make the batter smoother and richer.
Step 6
Gradually add water while mixing the batter. It’s important to add water slowly, observing the batter’s consistency, rather than pouring it all at once.
Step 7
Use a whisk to smoothly combine the ingredients until you have a lump-free batter. Evenly coating the peppers will be easier if the batter is smooth.
Step 8
Aim for a slightly thick batter; it shouldn’t be too runny. When you lift the whisk, the batter should drip off slowly, not pour. This ensures the batter adheres well to the peppers and stays put during cooking.
Step 9
Coat the salted and drained peppers evenly with the prepared batter on both sides. Try to apply a thin layer of batter, preserving the pepper’s shape, rather than a thick coating.
Step 10
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of canola oil. Using enough oil will prevent the Gochu Jeon from burning and help them brown beautifully.
Step 11
Carefully place the batter-coated peppers into the hot frying pan. Place them cut-side down first; this helps them maintain their shape as they cook.
Step 12
Cook over medium-low heat until the bottom side is golden brown and crispy. Once the first side is nicely browned, carefully flip the Gochu Jeon and cook the other side until golden brown. Your delicious Gochu Jeon is now ready!
