Pajeon (Korean Scallion Pancakes) with Black Pepper

About This Recipe

Pajeon is a Korean savory pancake built almost entirely around scallions, which are laid in dense, overlapping rows so nearly every bite includes their sharp, oniony bite softened by frying. It is classic rainy-day food in Korea, traditionally eaten alongside makgeolli (rice wine), and appears at nearly every Korean family gathering in some form. The batter is kept thin, just enough flour and egg to bind the scallions together, so the finished pancake stays crisp rather than bready or cake-like. A generous amount of freshly cracked black pepper worked into the batter adds a subtle heat that plays well against the scallions' sharpness, a common home-kitchen variation on the classic recipe. Fried in a well-oiled pan until deeply golden and crisp on both sides, pajeon is always served with a simple dipping sauce of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a touch of sesame oil, torn or cut into pieces for sharing at the table.

Ingredients

Serves 5

• 2 bunchesscallions(trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths)
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 2 tbsprice flour
• 1 cupcold water
• 1large egg
• 1 tspblack pepper(freshly cracked, plus more for garnish)
• 0.5 tspfine sea salt
• 4 tbspvegetable oil(divided)
• 3 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 tbsprice vinegar
• 1 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 1scallion(finely sliced, for dipping sauce)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the batter

   Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, cold water, egg, black pepper, and salt together until smooth.

2. 2

   Make the dipping sauce

   In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sliced scallion. Set aside.

3. 3

   Arrange the scallions

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wide nonstick skillet over medium heat. Lay scallion pieces across the pan in a dense, overlapping layer roughly the size of the finished pancake.

4. 4

   Pour the batter

   Pour the batter evenly over the scallions, making sure they're mostly covered.

5. 5

   Fry until crisp

   Cook 4-5 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp, pressing down gently once or twice with a spatula.

6. 6

   Flip and finish

   Carefully flip the pancake, adding remaining oil around the edges. Cook 4-5 minutes more until the other side is equally crisp and golden.

7. 7

   Serve

   Slide onto a cutting board, cut into wedges or strips, and serve hot with the dipping sauce and extra cracked black pepper.

Variations

• •

  Add chopped kimchi and a beaten egg on top for a heartier kimchi pajeon.

• •

  Fold in seafood like shrimp or squid for haemul pajeon, a classic seafood pancake variation.

• •

  Use only scallions with no other add-ins for the most traditional, simple version.

Storage

Best eaten fresh and hot while crisp. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and reheat in a dry skillet to restore some crispness; the microwave will make it soggy.

Frequently Asked Questions