Pajeon, Korean Green Onion Pancake

If you have fresh spring onions or scallions, here’s a very simple pancake recipe to try: Pajeon.

The word pajeon comes from pa, meaning a Korean vegetable somewhere between leek and green onion, and jeon, meaning pancake.

I discovered this Korean pancake a few years ago on the blog of Korean foodie Maangchi. It’s a recipe I make regularly because it’s delicious, quick, and easy. Pajeon is typically served with a dipping sauce made from soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and a little bit of chili for a spicy kick.

Here, we use fresh spring onions, but you can also add cabbage, carrots, or shrimp. Instead of spring onions, scallions can be used, their flavor is milder and more delicate. To tell them apart: spring onions have a round bulb, while scallions have a smaller, more elongated bulb.

Ingredients for 1 pajeon :

• 4 to 5 green onions (spring onions or scallions)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup water

• 1 tsp soybean paste (doenjang or miso)

• Sugar or honey (to taste)

For the dipping sauce :

• Soy sauce

• Vinegar (rice vinegar preferred)

• Sesame oil

• Red or green chili (fresh or flakes)

• Sesame seeds

Clean and drain a handful of fresh spring onions. Cut them lengthwise into pieces about 10 cm long.

In a bowl, mix the water, flour, soybean paste, and half a teaspoon of sugar or honey until smooth and well combined.

Preheat a non-stick pan and add 3 tablespoons of oil. Arrange the spring onion pieces parallel to each other, forming a rectangle.

Slowly pour the batter over the green onions.

While the pancake cooks, gently tap and press down with a spatula to keep a nice shape. Flip the pancake once the bottom is crispy and golden. Cook a few more minutes until the other side is golden as well.

Transfer to a plate and serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce:
Mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey or sugar, some finely chopped green onion tops, a bit of red or green chili, and a few toasted sesame seeds.