Pajeon, which literally translates to green onion/scallion pancakes, are Korean pancakes that can easily be customised to your liking. For my version, I drew inspiration from Haemul Pajeon which are Seafood and Green Onion Pancakes. But of course since this is a vegan pajeon, I used king oyster mushrooms to mimic the texture of squid since it has a rubbery texture. I also added some extra vegetables such as carrot and onion for that extra crunch. I also made my own dipping sauce to pair with this vegan jeon or pancake.
You can check out the a complete step-by-step on how to make the pajeon in the photos above or in the video below.
Preparing the pancake batter
In a large mixing bowl, add in all the dry ingredient. Mix well.
Slowly pour in the water while mixing. Mix until you’ve reached a batter consistency. Add the sesame oil and then mix. If the batter is still too thick, you can add 2-4 tbsp more water.
Another option for the batter is to mix in the veggies into the batter and mix evenly to coat. If doing so, you'll just need to evenly spread the batter with the veggies later on when cooking.
Cooking the pancake
Heat a medium/large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Note that the size of your pancake will depend on the size of your pan.IMPORTANT: I highly recomment using a non-stick pan for the best results and so that your pancakes do not stick to your pan.It's also important that your pan has been preheated well and is hot before you add in the oil and the veggies/batter.
Add enough oil to add to coat the surface of the pan. Once hot, add in the sliced onions, carrots, scallions, chiles, and mushrooms—basically enough veggies to almost cover the pan. Leave to cook to a tender crisp for 1-2 minutes.Skip this step if you mixed the veggies into the batter.
Scoop around half of batter into the pan and carefully spread to cover the vegetables. Note that the amount you add will depend on the size of your pan.
Place more veggies on the top of the pancake and carefully press down onto the batter. Lower the heat to medium. You can cover the pan to allow the inside of the pancake to cook especially if you’re making a thicker pancake. Cook for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.
Once the sides start to dry up, carefully scrape the sides and the underneath of the pancake with a spatula to ensure it hasn’t stuck to the pan. Once it’s golden brown underneath and crisp to your liking, carefully flip the pancake with a spatula. Cook the other side until golden brown and crisp. Repeat this for the rest of the batter.
Slice your pancakes into small squares or bite-sized pieces. This is best enjoyed with a good dipping sauce but you can enjoy it plain too! See dipping sauce recipe here.I also find it a lot easier to cut the pancakes using a pair of scissors.
Store in an air-tight container and refrigerate. Pan fry the pancakes or pajeon on a pan for 2-3 minutes on each side until crisp.
WATCH Video
Notes
Mushrooms
I personally prefer king oyster mushrooms for this recipe because these have a rubbery texture, similar to squid and scallops so I find these are a good vegan substitute. Other mushrooms I can recommend are oyster mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms.
Salt
black salt or kala namak has an egg-like taste and smell due to its sulphur content. This can definitely add a layer of 'egg' flavour to your pancakes.
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