How to Make: Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajun/Pajeon) (해물파전)(파煎)

Seafood Green Onion Pancake is a popular Korean side dish.  It is always available as a popular appetiser at Korean Restaurants, because of it's savoury and comforting taste.  Whenever I go to a Korean restaurant, I always order this because it's so good.  It's sort of similar to the Chinese pancake, except much easier because it does not require kneading the dough. Today, I made this Korean Green Onion Pancake with my mum.  It's actually very easy to make, and it's tonne cheaper than ordering in a restaurant.  The sharp taste of the green onion becomes mild after it has cooked.  The pancake becomes crispy on the outside, but very soft and slightly mushy in the centre.  It contrasts really well with the taste of the seafood.  If you don't like seafood, leave it out, and just add in more vegetables like carrot or more green onion.  I like to have a lot of squid in the pancake, so I used mostly squid, some octopus, crab and prawns.  Customise the ingredients yourself, it's really fantastic and easy to make!  Be sure to serve the sauce with it, it brings all the flavours together.


Korean Seafood Green Onion Pancake (Haemul Pajun/Pajeon) (해물파전) (파煎)

Ingredients:

• 85 gm of All-purpose flour (3/4 cup)
• 5 gm of baking powder (1 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of ground black pepper (1 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of salt (2 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of dashi stock powder (1 teaspoon) *optional
• 175 mL of water (3/4 cup)
• 1 bunch (10 stalks) of Green Onion (Scallions) cut into 5 cm (2 inch) strips
• 225 gm (1/2 pound) of Mixed Seafood (Prawns, Shrimp, Squid, Octopus, Mussels, Clams, Oysters, Crab etc...)
• Oil for frying

Dipping Sauce:

• 10 gm of sugar (2 teaspoon)
• 30 mL of soy sauce (2 tablespoon)
• 15 mL of vinegar (1 tablespoon)
• 5 mL of toasted sesame oil (1 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of minced garlic (1 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of toasted sesame seeds (1 teaspoon)
• 5 gm of hot pepper flakes (1 teaspoon) *optional

Method:

• Mix the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, salt, and dashi stock powder if using.  Add in the water and mix until all the lumps are gone.  Add in half of the seafood and mix until evenly distributed.  This is your pancake batter.
• In a large heated pan, spread 15 mL (1 tbsp) of oil.  Add in most of the pancake batter (reserve a little bit of batter for later), and spread into a thin layer.
• Distribute the green onions, remaining seafood on top.  Pour the remaining batter on top, this will make sure that the green onions and seafood will not fall apart.  Slightly press the pancake.
• Let it fry until golden brown on medium heat (~about 3-4 min).
• Flip it (with a spatula if you're too scared to flip it in the pan), and let it cook on the other side for another 3 min until it is fully cooked.   Both sides should be slightly crispy.
• Cut it into 8 wedges and serve on the plate.  Mix the ingredients for the dipping sauce, and serve with the pancakes!  
• Eat while it's piping hot! ＼（＾∀＾）メ（＾∀＾）ノ

Tips and Suggestions:

• If you want it crispier, make the first pancake even thinner, and add more oil.  This usually works out to make 2 thin pancakes rather than one.
• Feel free to use any kind of seafood, and vegetables too.  Some good suggestions are: Lobster, Crab, Imitation Crab, Shredded Carrot, thinly sliced potato, Kimchi...
• The dashi stock powder enhances the seafood flavour, but is not necessary.