Korean Vegetable Pancake (also known as Jeon or Yachae Jeon) is a crispy, savory dish made with a variety of vegetables, coated in a light batter, and fried to perfection. It’s perfect as a side dish, appetizer, or snack. Here’s how you can make it:

Ingredients:

For the Pancake:

• 1 medium zucchini, julienned
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced
• 1 small carrot, julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (optional for color)
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms or any mushrooms, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (optional, for extra crispiness)
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup cold water (adjust for batter consistency)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional, for extra flavor)
• Vegetable oil (for frying)

For the Dipping Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes, optional)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)
• 1 teaspoon chopped green onions (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Vegetables:

• Wash and julienne the zucchini and carrot into thin strips.
• Thinly slice the onion, red bell pepper, and mushrooms (if using).
• Chop the green onions into small pieces.

2. Make the Batter:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch (optional), egg, salt, pepper, and cold water.
• Add the sesame oil to the batter for a richer flavor.
• The batter should be thick enough to coat the vegetables but still pourable. Adjust with more water if necessary.

3. Mix the Vegetables:

• Add all the prepared vegetables (zucchini, carrot, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, and green onions) to the batter. Mix well to coat the vegetables evenly with the batter.

4. Cook the Pancakes:

• Heat a non-stick skillet or frying pan over medium heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Once the oil is hot, spoon the vegetable batter mixture into the pan. Spread it out evenly into a round shape (you can make one large pancake or several smaller ones).
• Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side until golden brown and crispy.
• Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until both sides are golden and crispy.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, adding more oil as needed.

5. Make the Dipping Sauce:

• In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru (if using), sesame seeds, and green onions. Stir to combine.

6. Serve:

• Once the pancakes are done, transfer them to a plate and cut them into wedges.
• Serve the vegetable pancakes hot with the dipping sauce on the side.

Tips:

• Vegetables: You can adjust the vegetables based on what you have on hand. Common additions include spinach, sweet potato, or even kimchi for extra flavor.
• Crispiness: If you want extra crispy pancakes, you can increase the amount of cornstarch in the batter, or use cold sparkling water instead of regular water for an even lighter batter.
• Serving Suggestions: These pancakes go great with a bowl of rice and kimchi for a traditional Korean meal.

Enjoy your Korean Vegetable Pancakes! They’re a crispy, savory treat that’s perfect for sharing with family and friends.