Red Potato and Cheese Jeon (Pan-fried Potato Pancake)
Red Potato and Cheese Jeon (Pan-fried Potato Pancake)
Easy Red Potato and Cheese Jeon Recipe: Crispy, Chewy, and Savory Potato Delight
Experience the delightful subtle flavor of seasonal red potatoes with this irresistible potato dish! Freshly made potato jeon boasts a perfectly crispy exterior and a tender, moist interior, making it a crowd-pleaser for all ages. Especially when you thinly julienne the red potatoes and pan-fry them to a golden crisp, then top generously with savory mozzarella cheese until melted and bubbly, the stretchy cheese and mild potato create a fantastic snack or side dish. If you opt for a version without cheese, you’ll fully appreciate the classic crispy-chewy texture of a traditional potato jeon. Today, let’s create a special potato jeon with the amazing combination of red potatoes and cheese!
Ingredients- 3 Red Potatoes
- 1 Egg
- 0.2 tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Potato Starch
- Plenty of Grapeseed Oil (or cooking oil)
- 2/3 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Here’s a look at the cheese potato jeon, pan-fried to a beautiful golden brown. As the cheese melts, it mingles with the reddish hue of the potato jeon, creating an appetizing color. While some recipes involve placing cheese between layers of potato, topping the jeon generously with cheese and frying it this way brings out a richer, more savory flavor from the baked cheese, offering a unique taste experience.
Step 2
First, peel the red potatoes you’ll be using and get them ready. One of the crucial steps for making potato jeon is how thinly and uniformly you julienne the potatoes. Using a mandoline slicer makes it much easier and quicker to achieve thin shreds, so we highly recommend using one. The fineness of the julienne significantly impacts the texture and appearance of the jeon.
Step 3
After peeling the red potatoes, slice them thinly into julienne strips. It’s a good idea to rinse the julienned potatoes lightly in cold water to remove excess starch. This helps prevent the potato strips from sticking together and contributes to a crispier final texture. Make sure to drain them thoroughly.
Step 4
To the drained potato juliennes, add 1 fresh egg, 0.2 tsp of salt, and 2 Tbsp of potato starch. Mix everything well until combined. We tried making two versions of this potato jeon: one topped with cheese and another made simply with potato. Personally, the version generously topped with cheese was delightfully chewy and significantly more savory.
Step 5
Heat a pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of grapeseed oil (or cooking oil). First, let’s pan-fry the simple potato jeon without cheese. Spread the prepared potato mixture evenly in the pan to form a thin pancake. Cook slowly over medium-low heat. Gently pressing down the potato strips as they cook helps them bind together well.
Step 6
Add plenty of cooking oil (grapeseed oil) to the pan. Spread the prepared potato juliennes evenly to fit the pan. Use a spoon or spatula to gently press them down. Generously top the potato jeon with mozzarella cheese. Once the cheese starts to melt and the edges begin to cook, carefully flip the jeon.
Step 7
The underside of the potato jeon is now golden brown and crispy. You can serve it as is, or for an enhanced flavor, flip it again so the cheese-covered side faces up and lightly cook for another moment. This way, you can enjoy a richer dish combining the savory cheese with the crispy potato jeon. It’s satisfying to be able to try two styles of jeon at once.
Step 8
When frying the cheese-topped potato jeon, you might notice the cheese surface turning slightly brown or appearing scorched. Rest assured, this is not burnt but a natural result of the cheese melting and cooking under heat. This part is key to adding that wonderful cheesy flavor.
Step 9
Here’s the potato jeon made purely with potatoes, without any cheese. It perfectly embodies the ‘crispy outside, tender inside’ texture, with the exterior wonderfully crisp and the interior satisfyingly chewy and moist. You can truly savor the simple, natural taste of potatoes with this clean and delicious potato dish.
