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.
Serves 5
Whisk all-purpose flour, rice flour, cold water, egg, black pepper, and salt together until smooth.
In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sliced scallion. Set aside.
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.
Pour the batter evenly over the scallions, making sure they're mostly covered.
Cook 4-5 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp, pressing down gently once or twice with a spatula.
Carefully flip the pancake, adding remaining oil around the edges. Cook 4-5 minutes more until the other side is equally crisp and golden.
Slide onto a cutting board, cut into wedges or strips, and serve hot with the dipping sauce and extra cracked black pepper.
Keep the batter thin and use cold water — a thick, warm batter produces a doughy pancake instead of a crisp one.
Press down gently on the pancake with a spatula while it cooks to help it crisp evenly against the hot pan.
Use enough oil, especially before the flip, since pajeon relies on a generous amount of oil to achieve its signature crisp edges.
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.
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.
Pajeon has roots in Korean rainy-day eating traditions, believed to be paired with makgeolli because the sound of rain is said to resemble the sizzle of the pancake frying, and regional variations like haemul pajeon from Busan add fresh seafood to the base recipe.
Not enough oil or too low heat are the usual causes — use a generous amount of oil and keep the heat at a steady medium so it fries rather than steams.
It's best made fresh, but you can whisk the dry ingredients together ahead of time and add the cold water and egg just before cooking.
Rice flour helps the pancake crisp up more and stay crisp longer after cooking, so it's worth including if you have it.
Per serving (180g / 6.3 oz) · 5 servings total
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