Korean and Chinese Scallion Pancakes with Dipping Sauces

Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 4 scallions
• Optional fillings: fennel greens, crab meat, shrimp, squid, octopus.

Instructions

1. Slice the scallions
2. Mix the flour, water, egg, and scallions (and other fillings)
3. Heat up a skillet with a small amount of oil
4. Pour in the batter
5. Let cook for 4-5 minutes, until it is browned on the bottom and firm enough to flip. If you have trouble flipping the whole pancake cut it in half and flip it in sections.
6. When it is brown and crisp on both sides move it to a plate and cut into wedges.
7. Serve with Korean Dipping Sauce.
8. Makes 1 large pancake

Theory of the Dish

I got this recipe from a cooking community I'm in. It is really fast and easy. The traditional recipe has the scallions added to the pan first instead of mixed into the batter but I found mixing them in works better. Jeon is Korean for Pancake. The "jeon" name commonly follows its main ingredient. It is really good with (6oz) canned crab mixed in with the scallions. Might be good with tuna too.

Korean Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1 Tbsp scallion, finely minced

Instructions

Theory of the Dish

I used rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.

Chinese Scallion Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup hot water
• 4 scallions, finely sliced
• Oil for shallow frying
• Other options: finely chopped fennel greens, white sesame seeds, black pepper, red pepper flakes, corn, diced bell peppers, or sweet red bean paste.

Instructions

1. Mix the flour and salt
2. Gradually add the hot water
3. Mix until all the flour is incorporated into the dough
4. Set the dough aside to rest for 1 hour
5. Prepare the filling
6. Divide the dough into 8 balls
7. With a rolling pin flatten the ball out into 4-5 inch circle
8. Sprinkle with filling. Do not over fill.
9. Roll up the dough over the filling
10. Curl the log roll (like a snail shell) and roll out flat again
11. At this point the pancakes can be frozen for later use
12. To cook: heat oil in a shallow frying pan
13. Add the pancake to the hot oil and cook until brown and crisp on both sides.
14. Cut into wedges and serve with dipping sauce.
15. Makes 8 pancakes

Theory of the Dish

Scallion pancakes are one of our favorites from Dim Sum. They are a bit of a production to make but taste great with dipping sauce.

Chinese Red Vinegar Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp Chinese red vinegar (hak mi cho)
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely shredded
• boiling water

Instructions

1. Mix the vinegar and sugar to dissolve the sugar.
2. Cover the grated ginger with boiling water and let soften for 1 minute.
3. Drain well and mix with the vinegar and sugar.