Kimchi Jeon Recipe
30 minBase: 2 servings
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- Fermented napa kimchi with brine250 g
- Onion60 g
- All-purpose wheat flour100 g
Seasonings
- Potato starch or cornstarch20 g
- Cold water140 ml
- Gochugaru1 tsp
- Sugar0.5 tsp
- Neutral cooking oil3 tbsp
Ingredient preparation notes
- Fermented napa kimchi with brine
Use 220 g kimchi solids plus 30 g brine. Check for fish sauce or salted shrimp.
- Neutral cooking oil
Total for frying two pancakes.
Equipment & measures
- Knife and cutting board
- Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
- Nonstick frying pan
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
1 tsp = 5ml · 1 tbsp = 15ml. Use measuring spoons.
Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min
Method
The instructions below are for 2 servings.
Cut kimchi and onion
Prepare 220 g kimchi solids and 30 g brine. Chop the solids into 1 cm pieces and return them to the brine. Slice onion 2–3 mm thick. Long, bulky kimchi pieces make the pancakes harder to spread and turn.
Mix briefly
Combine flour, starch, gochugaru, and sugar in a bowl. Add 140 ml cold water. When almost no dry flour remains, briefly fold in kimchi and onion. The mixture should flow slowly from a spoon without separating into watery liquid. Do not taste uncooked flour batter.
Heat the pan and spread the first pancake
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. Use the back of a spoon to distribute the kimchi and onion rather than piling them in the center.
Set the underside
Cook over medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until the edges lose their wet shine and the underside develops brown patches. Kimchi brine and sugar can darken quickly. Lift an edge after about 3 minutes and lower the heat slightly if needed.
Turn and check the center
Turn with a wide spatula. Drizzle half a tablespoon oil around the edge and cook for 3–4 more minutes. Press the center gently; liquid batter should not escape. Cut open a small section to check that no wet flour paste remains. If thick or damp inside, lower to medium-low and cook in 1–2 minute increments.
Cook the remainder and serve
Use the remaining 1.5 tablespoons oil in the same two stages for the second pancake. Taste the fully cooked first pancake before deciding whether to offer a little soy sauce separately. Lay pancakes out rather than stacking them under a cover, and slice while warm.
Make two thin kimchi pancakes with fermented napa kimchi, onion, flour, and starch. No added egg or seafood; adjust heat so the batter cooks through.
Sour napa kimchi and thin onion slices form the base of these two 18–20 cm pancakes. No egg, pork, or seafood is added. Kimchi itself may contain fish sauce or salted shrimp, so check its ingredients when cooking for a vegetarian diet or someone with an allergy.
A LITTLE KITCHEN WISDOM
Little details that help
When kimchi has little brine
If you cannot collect 30 g brine, keep the 220 g solids and add another 30 ml water. Color and seasoning may be lighter. Assess seasoning after the first pancake is fully cooked rather than tasting raw batter.
Thin pancakes cook more evenly
Putting all the batter in one pancake can leave a gummy center while the surface burns. Make the stated two pancakes, or three or more in a smaller pan. Stacking hot pancakes traps steam and softens their crust.
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 individual pancakes on both sides in a pan and check the center for 74°C/165°F. Do not eat undercooked batter or taste it raw.
Common questions
Why does my kimchi pancake tear?
The kimchi may be too large, the mixture too loose, or the underside not yet set. Chop smaller pieces and make smaller pancakes. Wait for a firm golden underside and support it with a wide spatula when turning.
Is this vegetarian because no egg or seafood is added?
Kimchi can contain fish sauce or salted shrimp even when no seafood is added separately. Use vegetarian kimchi and check flour and starch labels for the diet you are serving. This recipe does not guarantee the absence of allergens.
