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.