Aromatic Perilla Leaf and Fish Cake Jeon
Aromatic Perilla Leaf and Fish Cake Jeon
How to Make Perilla Leaf Jeon (Fish Cake & Perilla Leaf Pancakes)
Fish cakes are delicious in soups or stir-fries, but we thought they’d be even more delightful as a pancake! Thus, we created this Perilla Leaf and Fish Cake Jeon. (Tablespoons are based on standard Korean rice spoons.)
Ingredients- Perilla leaves: 12 leaves
- Salt: 2 pinches
- Fish cakes: 3 pieces (approx. 140g)
- Egg: 1
- Grapeseed oil (or cooking oil): As needed
- Pancake mix (buchim garu): 2 to 2.5 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, trim the stems from the perilla leaves. Place a perilla leaf flat on your palm and wash it thoroughly under running water, rinsing both sides about twice. Then, place them on a colander to drain completely. This step is crucial to prevent the jeon from becoming soggy.
Step 2
Place the rectangular fish cakes on a cutting board and cut each one into 4 equal pieces. Cutting the fish cakes into smaller pieces will make rolling them with the perilla leaves easier and result in a more attractive shape.
Step 3
Crack one egg into a bowl. Add about 1 to 2 pinches of salt and beat the egg well with a spoon or whisk until smooth.
Step 4
Place about 2 to 2.5 tablespoons of pancake mix into a ziplock bag or a wide plate. Add the cut fish cakes and coat them thoroughly with the pancake mix on both sides. Ensuring a good coating of pancake mix will help the egg batter adhere better and make the jeon crispier.
Step 5
Lightly coat only the underside of each perilla leaf with pancake mix. Avoid coating the top side of the perilla leaf to preserve its fresh, aromatic flavor.
Step 6
Place a coated fish cake piece onto the pancake mix-coated underside of a perilla leaf. If your perilla leaves are significantly larger than the fish cakes, you can trim off the excess edges of the perilla leaf where the fish cake will be placed to ensure a neater roll.
Step 7
Starting from the stem end, carefully roll up the perilla leaf with the fish cake inside. Roll it tightly to prevent the filling from spilling out during cooking.
Step 8
Dip the rolled perilla leaf and fish cake into the beaten egg mixture. Use chopsticks to turn it over, ensuring that the entire surface is evenly coated with the egg batter.
Step 9
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of grapeseed oil. Carefully place the egg-coated perilla leaf jeon onto the hot pan, leaving some space between each one to ensure even cooking. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Step 10
Cook the jeon over medium to medium-low heat. Once the bottom side is golden brown and crispy, carefully flip it over to cook the other side until it’s also golden brown. Make sure to cook them long enough so the fish cake inside is thoroughly heated and cooked through.
Step 11
Once both sides of the perilla leaf and fish cake jeon are beautifully golden brown, turn off the heat. These are best enjoyed immediately while warm, offering a delightful combination of the perilla’s fragrance, the fish cake’s chewiness, and the crispy exterior.
