SIMPLY KOREAN: How to make the crispiest ever Kimchi pancake 'KIMCHI JEON' 김치전

This recipe is very special to me because it was given to me by my grandmother. I tweaked it and tested out the batter many times to perfect it. Different combinations and portions of flours & starches.. it took a while but I was able to come up with the best tasting jeon ever.

My favorite part of any type of Korean pancake is definitely the crispy parts. So, i thought – why can’t the whole pancake be crispy? I figured it out. YOU WILL NEVER GO BACK TO ANY OTHER JEON RECIPE AFTER THIS. I can guarantee this is the CRISPIEST most FLAVORFUL, literally the best korean pancake recipe EVER. Trust 🙂 and… YOU’RE WELCOME!!

KIMCHI VEGETABLE JEON
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Asian rice flour
¼ cup corn starch
1T Kosher salt
2 tablespoons sesame oil
8 ounces ground pork, or any ground meat or seafood (if vegan you can try impossible meat but you definitely need it for flavor and texture)
6 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, cut into half-moons
1 cup kimchi, sliced thin
2 cups garlic chives or scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/8-inch matchsticks
1 red finger chile pepper, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced

Dipping sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean red chile pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

1. Combine AP flour, rice flour, cornstarch, salt, and sesame oil in a large bowl and whisk with about ½ cup of water until the batter is loose but thick enough. Should coat and run off your finger.
2. Add the ground pork and whisk into the batter. Let it melt into it and become a part of batter.
3. Add your vegetables and mix well. It should seem like there is too much vegetables to your batter mix, just slightly coated.
4. On medium heat, add a good amount of oil in a nonstick skillet. Add about a cup of the batter and spread it so it’s about ½ inch thick. Let it cook on medium heat for about 4-5 minutes before flipping. If your heat is too high, the ends will burn and the pancake will not be crispy all over. Also, if you try to flip too early, the batter will break. Heat control and patience is key to an overall evenly crispy pancake.
5. When ready to flip, the pancake should be held together and the color should be even all around. Flip and let the other side cook and get crispy.
6. Drain on a paper towel.
7. Mix the dipping sauce ingredients and enjoy!