Golden Ratio Kimchi Pancake
Golden Ratio Kimchi Pancake
Crispy Kimchi Pancake Perfection! The Ultimate Recipe for Golden, Crispy Kimchi Jeon – Perfect with Makgeolli or as a Late-Night Snack
I absolutely adore Kimchi Jeon (Kimchi pancake) and make it often. I’ve experimented with many batter recipes, but this one consistently yields the crispiest results. I’ll share my best tips for making Kimchi Jeon that stays delightfully crispy even when cooled. It’s a true delight!
Kimchi Pancake Ingredients- 210g well-fermented Napa cabbage kimchi
- 160g canned corn (drained)
- 130g bacon
- 150g onion
- 1 stalk green onion
- 1 red chili pepper
- 70g tempura flour
- 90g pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 40g starch (or potato starch)
- 200ml ice-cold water
- Cooking oil (generous amount)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by preparing all the ingredients for our Kimchi Jeon. The key players are well-fermented Napa cabbage kimchi for that signature tang, bacon for a savory depth, sweet canned corn for a pop of texture, and onion for a touch of sweetness. While corn isn’t strictly necessary, adding bacon and onion significantly elevates the flavor profile of the kimchi pancake, making it much more delicious.
Step 2
Finely julienne the onion. Cut the bacon and kimchi into bite-sized pieces, about 1 cm wide. If the kimchi strands are too long, they can be a bit awkward to handle when cooking the pancake, so chop them into manageable lengths.
Step 3
In a large bowl, combine the julienned onion, bacon, and chopped kimchi. Add the drained canned corn, finely chopped green onion, and thinly sliced red chili pepper (seeds removed). Now, let’s add the dry ingredients: 90g of buchim garu (Korean pancake mix), 70g of tempura flour for extra crispiness, and 40g of starch (or potato starch). I used to add an egg, but I found that omitting it results in a much crispier pancake!
Step 4
Give the ingredients a gentle mix with a spatula or spoon. The goal here is just to get everything roughly combined before adding the liquid. Overmixing at this stage can make the batter tough, so keep it light.
Step 5
Now, it’s time to adjust the batter consistency. Gradually pour in 200ml of ice-cold water. Using very cold water is a key trick to achieving a super crispy pancake.
Step 6
Gently combine the batter. Be careful not to overmix! Overworking the batter develops gluten, which can make the pancake chewy rather than crispy. It’s okay if you can still see a little bit of dry flour – just mix until the ingredients are barely combined. This is one of the secrets to a perfectly crisp jeon!
Step 7
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Add a generous amount of cooking oil, about 4 tablespoons. Once the oil is hot, ladle about one portion of the batter onto the pan and spread it out thinly into a round shape. Making the pancake thin is crucial for even crisping.
Step 8
Keep an eye on the surface of the pancake. The moment the batter appears mostly dry and opaque, it’s time to flip it. Flipping too early can cause it to break apart, so be patient and let it cook thoroughly on the first side.
Step 9
Carefully flip the pancake. Gently press down on it with your spatula to ensure it’s nice and flat. Add a little more cooking oil around the edges of the pancake. This extra oil helps to ‘fry’ the pancake as it cooks, enhancing its crispiness.
Step 10
Continue to cook until both sides are golden brown and beautifully crisp. Cooking over medium-low heat with plenty of oil, almost like deep-frying, is what makes this pancake incredibly crunchy. The savory bacon provides enough saltiness, so I didn’t even need to make a dipping sauce! Enjoy this perfectly crispy, flavorful Kimchi Jeon, especially as a delightful pairing with a glass of makgeolli on a cozy evening.
