The Spring onion pancakes | Pa jeon As with many fine examples of Asian cooking where the ingredients speak for themselves, the Korean omelet is mouthwateringly simple. The version is vegetarian, but shellfish such as shrimp, mussels, or oysters is often added. It works very well with the ginger and sesame dipping sauce.
Serves 4–6
Ingredients:
1⁄3 cup glutinous rice flour
1⁄3 cup rice flour
1⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2in (4cm) piece of fresh ginger
8 scallions (green onions), cut into 11⁄4in (3cm) lengths
1 fresh red chile, seeded and cut into fine slivers
about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
freshly ground black pepper
ginger and sesame dipping sauce (below), to serve
Method:
1. Combine the three flours in a bowl. Whisk in the eggs, then add water, up to 1 cup, to make a smooth batter that is the texture of heavy cream. Season with the salt and some black pepper.
2. Cut the ginger into thin slices, then restack on the chopping board and finely shred. Add the ginger, scallions, and chile to the batter (if you are using shellfish, it should be added at this point).
3. Heat a skillet or omelet pan over a medium-high heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil and rotate the pan to coat, tipping out any excess oil into a dry cup so that it can be used for the next pancake. Add a small ladleful of the batter to the pan, spreading it out to make a thin pancake about 4in (10cm) in diameter.
4. Cook for about 2 minutes until golden brown on the bottom, then turn over with a spatula and cook for a further 2 minutes.
5. Repeat the process until all the batter has been used. Serve immediately with the ginger and sesame dipping sauce below.
For Ginger and sesame dipping sauce:
Delicious with pa jeon, which usually contains scallions or oysters, this dipping sauce can be used as a dressing for a salad or as a dipping sauce with fish and shellfish such as raw oysters, grilled shrimp or scallops, or perhaps some steamed mussels or crab. Using a mortar and pestle, crush 2 garlic cloves with 1⁄2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl, and add 4 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Toast 2 teaspoons sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until golden. While the sesame seeds are still warm, grind to a rough paste using a mortar and pestle; add to the dressing. Check the seasoning.
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| Spring onion pancakes recipe |
