These crispy flavor-packed kimchi pancakes are super easy to make with a few basic ingredients as long as you have some kimchi. It is primarily made with sliced kimchi, flour batter, and sometimes other vegetables. However, meat and seafood are also often added.
- 1 cup thinly sliced fully-fermented Kimchi
- 1 to 2 scallions
- 1/4 medium onion 3 oz. *minced pork, canned tuna (without the liquid), or squid cut into small strips – cooking oil with high smoke point for pan frying
BATTER
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour or buchimgaru (Korean pancake premix) or Swap 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour with sweet rice flour or corn/ potato starch
- 2 to 3 tablespoons juice/liquid from Kimchi See note on water below
- 1 or 2 teaspoons gochujang (Korean chili pepper paste) or gochugaru – optional
- 1 lightly beaten egg – optional
- 1 cup icy cold water Use more water if juice/liquid from kimchi is unavailable and not using an egg.
SAUCE
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- pinch of black pepper*optional
- Thinly slice the kimchi, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut the scallions into about 2-inch pieces. Thinly slice the onion.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour (or pancake mix) with the liquid from kimchi, the optional gochujang/gochugaru and egg, and water, a little bite at a time. Start with dissolving the gochujang with water, and mix everything together. Do not over mix. Stir in the kimchi, scallions, onion and the optional protein of your choice.
- Heat one tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Ladle the mixture into the pan, and spread it evenly into a thin round shape. Cook until the edges turn light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn it over, and add more oil to the sides of the pan. Gently swirl the pan to distribute the oil under the pancakes. Press the pancake down with a spatula. Cook until the other side is nicely browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Repeat the process until there is no remaining batter. Serve hot with a dipping sauce, if desired.
