Haemul Pajeon Recipe
35 minBase: 2 servings
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- Thin green onions or scallions100 g
- Raw peeled shrimp100 g
- Cleaned raw squid100 g
- All-purpose wheat flour100 g
- Large egg1 whole
Seasonings
- Potato starch or cornstarch20 g
- Cold water180 ml
- Salt0.25 tsp
- Neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Rice vinegar or white vinegar2 tsp
- Sugar0.25 tsp
Ingredient preparation notes
- Thin green onions or scallions
Split thick white parts lengthwise.
- Raw peeled shrimp
Peeled and deveined weight. Thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator and drain; thawing time is additional.
- Cleaned raw squid
Weight after removing innards and hard parts.
- Cold water
Divide into 165 ml for batter and 15 ml for dipping sauce.
- Neutral cooking oil
Total for frying two pancakes.
- Soy sauce
For dipping sauce.
- Rice vinegar or white vinegar
For dipping sauce.
- Sugar
For dipping sauce.
Equipment & measures
- Knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
- Nonstick frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Food thermometer
1 tsp = 5ml · 1 tbsp = 15ml. Use measuring spoons.
Prep 15 min · Cook 20 min
Method
The instructions below are for 2 servings.
Prepare scallions and seafood
Wash and dry the green onions, cut into 8–10 cm lengths, and split thick white parts lengthwise. Cut shrimp into 1 cm pieces and squid into short strips about 5 mm wide. Blot the seafood dry. Wash hands and utensils after handling raw seafood.
Mix the dipping sauce
Combine soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar with 15 ml taken from the total 180 ml water. Reserve the remaining 165 ml cold water for batter. Keep the sauce away from raw seafood and uncooked batter.
Mix a light batter
Combine flour, starch, and salt in a bowl. Add the egg and 165 ml cold water. Stir briefly, just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the green onions and seafood without prolonged mixing. Do not taste batter containing raw egg and flour.
Spread the first pancake thinly
Preheat a frying pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes and add 1 tablespoon oil. Spread half the mixture into an 18–20 cm round about 5 mm thick. Distribute the seafood and green onions evenly. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the bottom is golden and the edges have set.
Turn and cook the center
Flip with a broad spatula. Drizzle half a tablespoon oil around the edge and cook for another 4–5 minutes. Egg batter should be set throughout and the shrimp and squid opaque. Use a thin-probe thermometer to check the pancake center for at least 71°C/160°F. Lower the heat if the outside browns too quickly.
Cook the second pancake and serve
Use the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil in the same two stages for the second pancake. Transfer cooked food to a clean plate rather than the raw-seafood plate. Avoid stacking and covering the pancakes; cut and serve promptly with the sauce. A smaller pan requires smaller batches and adjusted cooking time.
Make two Korean scallion pancakes with shrimp, squid, flour, starch, and egg. Dry the ingredients, spread a thin layer, and check the cooked center.
This recipe makes two 18–20 cm pancakes with all-purpose flour and starch. The seafood is shrimp and squid, without mussels. Dry the ingredients and distribute them evenly so the center cooks through while the surface develops a brown crust.
A LITTLE KITCHEN WISDOM
Little details that help
Remove thawing water
Water released by frozen seafood can make batter loose and fragile. Thaw seafood in the refrigerator, drain well, and blot dry. If the mixture is already watery, do not add more water; cook smaller pancakes that are easier to turn.
Wait for a firm underside
The underside needs a coherent brown crust before turning, even if the top still looks wet. Lift an edge to inspect it, then support the pancake with a wide spatula. Large seafood chunks slow cooking in the center.
Storing leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers at 4°C/40°F or below within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C/90°F. Use within 2 days. Reheat portions on both sides in a pan and check the center for 74°C/165°F. Reheated pancakes will be less crisp than freshly cooked ones.
Common questions
Should I keep the salt when using Korean pancake mix?
Many commercial mixes already contain salt. If replacing the combined 120 g flour and starch with 120 g pancake mix, omit the added salt and adjust water gradually using the package directions. Check its allergen label as well.
Why does the outside brown before the seafood cooks?
The heat may be too high or the pancake too thick. Lower to medium-low and continue cooking through. For the next pancake, use smaller seafood pieces and spread the batter thinner. Brown surfaces alone do not establish that the seafood is cooked.
