Get the down-low on how to make crispy kimchi pancakes at home! They’re tangy, crispy, and tender all at once. The perfect snack or side dish!
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Key Ingredients That Pack in Flavor!
Typically, kimchi pancakes are made with napa cabbage kimchi and this recipe is no different in that sense. In addition to the tangy kimchi chunks, adding in kimchi juice adds a more concentrated flavor.
To give them a spicy and umami boost of flavor, I love adding in gochujang too!
If you don’t like your food too spicy, you can reduce the amount of gochujang, but I don’t recommend omitting it completely. It just adds too much goodness to skip!
Once you combine all of the ingredients, you're looking for a batter that easily runs from the spoon.
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Let's Get Cooking!
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Crispy Kimchi Pancake Recipe (Kimchi Jeon)
Ingredients
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder not baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- ⅔ cup cabbage kimchi roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion thinly sliced
- 3 green onions cut into 2-inch pieces
- 6 tablespoons ice-cold water
- ¼ tablespoons kimchi juice from kimchi
DIPPING SAUCE:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients - all-purpose flour, cornstarch, salt, sugar, baking powder (not baking soda), onion powder, and garlic powder until well combined.
- Then add remaining pancake ingredients - egg, gochujang, kimchi, garlic, chopped onions, green onions, ice cold water, & kimchi juice. Mix until JUST combined and you no longer see flour. Don’t overmix, otherwise, you risk having gummy pancakes.
- In a small bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients, then set aside.
- Pre-heat a skillet on medium-high heat then once hot, add a generous amount of oil. When the oil is hot, ladle in about ⅓ cup of batter, then spread out into a thin layer as much as possible. This will help make your kimchi pancake crispy! Allow the pancake to cook for about 3 minutes, or until about 70% cooked. You’ll know it’s ready to flip when the edges are partially cooked with bubbles forming and the bottom of the pancake is golden brown.
- Flip the pancake, add a little more oil if needed to make the other side of the pancake crispy, then cook for another 2 - 3 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Do NOT press down on the pancake while cooking, otherwise, your pancakes will turn out flat instead of light and fluffy.
- Remove from heat & repeat for remaining pancake mix.
- Cut pancakes into bite-sized pieces & serve immediately with dipping sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Baking Powder: Note - this is NOT baking soda, which is completely different! Baking powder will help create fluffy pancakes. Without it, the pancakes will be flat & dense.
- Gochujang: You can get it in various spice levels, so adjust to your spice tolerance!
- Kimchi: Cabbage kimchi is the most commonly used for the kimchi pancakes. To easily cut the kimchi without losing its juices, place kimchi in a bowl & use scissors to roughly cut them & drain its juices!
- Ice Cold Water: This is crucial so the baking powder doesn't prematurely develops gluten, which could lead to flat pancakes.
- Key Storage & Troubleshoot Tips: Avoid gummy or tough kimchi pancakes with the key tips in the blog post above, along with storage & freezing instructions.
Nutrition
Exact calculations may vary. For the most accurate nutritional information, use your preferred nutrition calculator, actual ingredients, and quantities used for the recipe. Please consult with your physician or registered dietitian if more precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
HEY, I'M MIKHA!
...A fellow food lover who believes anyone can whip up a delicious meal - no matter your skill level! These quick & easy Asian recipes will help you transform simple ingredients into a drool-worthy meal for you & the people you love most - without spending all day in the kitchen.
Now come on - Grab a seat & let's eat!
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