May's Korean veggie pancakes

Thin, crisp pancakes made with ice-cold batter, served with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce.

Back to all recipes

Class
Kids Cooking Class
Fun, interactive cooking for kids. Nothing sharp. Coming August, register your interest now.
Journal
Building a better bento box
A bento is a packing problem before it is a cooking problem. A few rules separate a box that travels well from one that arrives as a single sad pile.

Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 to 3 pancakes

Ingredients

The batter

80 g flour
20 g tapioca, corn or potato starch
1tsp garlic powder
1tsp baking powder
150 ml very cold water
Veggie choice - sliced onions, shredded carrots, thinly sliced spring onions, zucchini, kimchi, meat (thinly sliced)

Dipping sauce

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1TB rice wine vinegar/apple cider/white wine vinegar
1TB sesame oil
1tsp Sugar
½ tsp sesame seeds
½ tsp or more of chilli flakes

The pancakes we fry alongside the kimchi class, mixed to order with whatever vegetables are in the kitchen. Cold water restricts gluten development for a much crispier finish, so keep the batter thin and the centre of each pancake thinner still.

Method

1
Dry mix. In a large bowl, whisk flour, starch (tapioca or corn), baking powder, and garlic powder.
2
The chill factor. Gradually whisk in ice-cold water until the batter is smooth but thin (like crepe batter or melted ice cream).
3
Fold. Stir in sliced scallions, chopped kimchi, onions, carrots (shredded) or seafood (shrimp/squid) until well-coated.
4
Heat. To shallow fry, heat 3TB of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
5
Pour. Spread batter into a thin, even layer. Keep the centre thin for maximum crunch.
6
Sizzle. Cook 3-4 mins until the bottom is deep gold and crispy.
7
Flip. Flip and cook 2-3 mins more. Add a splash of oil to the edges for extra crispiness.
8
Dipping sauce. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds and chilli flakes together and mix. Serve with pancakes.

From our kitchen

View more images