Colorful and Delicious Assorted Jeon
Colorful and Delicious Assorted Jeon
Jeon Trio: Making Zucchini, Perilla Leaf, and Pepper Jeon
Introducing a perfect recipe for assorted jeon, ideal as a drinking snack, holiday food, or for entertaining guests. Create a feast with these colorful and satisfying Korean pancakes.
Jeon Ingredients- 10-12 perilla leaves (washed and prepped)
- 1/2 medium zucchini
- 3-4 Korean green chili peppers (adjust to taste)
- 1 red chili pepper (for color)
- 1 cup (approx. 100g) pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 2 eggs
Filling (Donggeurangttaeng Seasoning)- 100g minced beef (lean cut)
- 1/2 block (approx. 150g) firm tofu (drained and mashed)
- 3 green onions (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp oligo syrup (for gloss and sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for savory depth)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar (for balanced sweetness)
- 0.3 Tbsp ginger juice (to remove gamey smell)
- A pinch of black pepper
- 100g minced beef (lean cut)
- 1/2 block (approx. 150g) firm tofu (drained and mashed)
- 3 green onions (finely chopped)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp oligo syrup (for gloss and sweetness)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract (for savory depth)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 0.5 Tbsp sugar (for balanced sweetness)
- 0.3 Tbsp ginger juice (to remove gamey smell)
- A pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by washing and preparing all the fresh ingredients thoroughly, ensuring everything is ready for a smooth cooking process. This step is crucial for the final taste of your assorted jeon.
Step 2
Now, let’s make the filling for the jeon, similar to a donggeurangttaeng (Korean meatball). Finely chop the green onions. Squeeze out as much water as possible from the tofu using paper towels or a clean cloth, then mash it well. In a bowl, combine the mashed tofu, minced beef, soy sauce, cooking wine, oligo syrup, plum extract, minced garlic, sugar, ginger juice, and black pepper. Mix and knead the ingredients together until well combined to create a flavorful filling.
Step 3
Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Add the prepared filling and cook until all the moisture has evaporated. Cooking the filling this way improves its texture and shelf life. Allow the cooked filling to cool completely before use.
Step 4
Slice the zucchini into rounds about 0.5cm thick. Using the cap of a 500ml water bottle or a similar-sized round cutter, create a hole in the center of each zucchini slice. This will be where you place the filling. (A cap diameter of around 3cm is ideal).
Step 5
Cut the green chili peppers in half lengthwise and remove all the seeds. If you prefer less heat, you can leave some seeds in, or remove them all for a milder flavor.
Step 6
Slice the red chili pepper into rounds, about 0.5cm thick. These will be used as decorative toppings for the zucchini jeon.
Step 7
Lay a washed perilla leaf flat, with the rough side facing up. Place a portion of the cooled, cooked filling in the center. Fold the leaf in half to enclose the filling neatly. Lightly dust the folded perilla leaf all over with pancake mix.
Step 8
Fill the central hole of each zucchini slice with the prepared filling. Once filled, lightly coat the zucchini with pancake mix, ensuring it adheres to the filling and the zucchini.
Step 9
Carefully stuff the seedless green chili pepper halves with the filling. Dust the outside of the chili peppers with pancake mix. (To keep the ingredients fresh, it’s best to fill and coat the perilla leaves, zucchini, and chili peppers sequentially.)
Step 10
In a separate bowl, crack the 2 eggs and beat them well with a fork or whisk until smooth, removing the chalazae (the white cords). Prepare plain beaten egg wash.
Step 11
Dip each prepared jeon (perilla leaf, zucchini, and chili pepper) coated in pancake mix into the beaten egg wash, ensuring an even coating on all sides. Gently shake off any excess egg wash.
Step 12
Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Carefully place the egg-coated jeon into the hot oil. Be mindful of the heat; a pan that is too hot can burn the egg coating quickly.
Step 13
Fry the jeon until the bottom side is golden brown and crisp. Then, flip them over and cook the other side until equally golden. For perilla leaf jeon, cook until the leaves are slightly translucent and the filling is heated through. For zucchini and chili pepper jeon, ensure the filling is cooked through.
Step 14
Continue to flip and cook the jeon until they are all evenly golden brown and beautifully appetizing. Avoid using excessively high heat, which can burn the exterior while leaving the inside undercooked.
Step 15
For the zucchini jeon, after filling the center with the mixture, gently press a slice of red chili pepper onto it. As it cooks, the red chili pepper will adhere to the zucchini, enhancing both its appearance and color.
Step 16
Since the beef filling has already been cooked, the focus during pan-frying is to ensure the jeon is golden and crispy on the outside without burning, and that the filling is heated through. Once perfectly fried to a golden hue, briefly place the assorted jeon on paper towels to drain excess oil, then serve and enjoy your delicious creation!
