Kimchi pancake

Kimchijeon 김치전

A kimchi pancake is one of the easiest and quickest things to make and is one of Koreans’ all time favorite dishes. It’s hot, spicy, crispy, a little sweet, sour, and a little salty. It is not only a great snack but also it goes well with rice as a side dish, and is great in lunchboxes in place of plain kimchi.

On a rainy day on the weekend, when a Korean family wants something special and cozy to eat, this is something anyone can make using the ingredients we have at home. Then mom will say: “You want me to make kimchijeon?” and everybody will say: “Yayyy!!”

When kimchi is fermented, it tastes sour and pungent with a deeper flavor. All Koreans have well-fermented cabbage kimchi at home, it’s pretty much a staple! We Koreans will always make more kimchi before the current batch runs out, so that means we often have both fresh kimchi and fermented kimchi on hand. Kimchi is available all the time for Koreans.

I made a video for kimchi pancakes ten years ago (including my grandma’s style of kimchijeon), and I decided it was time to update the recipe, remake the video in HD, and include all the tips from the questions that some of you have asked me over the years. The number one question was: “How come my pancake isn’t crispy in the middle?” That’s because you need to use a generous amount of oil, and make sure it gets under the pancake like I show you in the video and explain in the recipe below.

How about having a Korean style kimchi pancake party with your family or friends? Enjoy the recipe and show me some photos of your kimchi pancake day! : )

Ingredients

½ pound well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, chopped into small pieces, plus 2 tablespoons of the brine
3 scallions, chopped
½ teaspoon sugar
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup water
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

Combine the kimchi, kimchi brine, scallions, sugar, flour, and water in a medium bowl and mix well with a spoon.
Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. (If you don’t have a 12-inch skillet, use a smaller skillet to make 2 pancakes.)
Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
Pour the batter into the pan and spread it with the back of a spoon or a spatula to make a large circle.
Cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Carefully turn the pancake over. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons oil around the edges of the skillet, then lift the pancake with a thin spatula to allow the oil to run underneath and tilt the pan to spread it evenly.
Cook until the bottom of the pancake is light golden brown and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes.
Flip it one more time and cook for another minute.
Slide onto a large serving platter and serve immediately.

Posted on Thursday, February 27th, 2020 at 5:13 pm. Last updated on May 23, 2020.
Tagged: dosirak, 김치부침개, 김치적, 김치전, homemade kimchi pancake, 전, jeon, kimchi pancake, Kimchi-buchimgae, kimchijeon, Korean pancakes

17 Comments:

DevorahTF Michigan, USA joined 3/20 & has 13 comments
Posted June 21st, 2020 at 12:54 pm | Log in to reply.

I have been making these kimchi pancakes and veggie pancakes for my family for months now. My family ask for them regularly. My only concern about making them so much was the oil…they are basically fried. We try to limit oil in our diet, and we are vegetarians, very health-conscious. So I am always modifying recipes, trying out ways to make them just a little healthier.

Yesterday I decided to try baking kimchi and veggie pancakes. I thought they would probably be ok..edible, but not crunchy like they are when fried.

Well, I was totally shocked! They came out of the oven crunchy, and tasted pretty much the same as when fried in the skillet.

This is how we will make them from now on, and I think they may become an almost daily food for us, since we don’t need to worry about the oil.

I baked them at 400 degrees on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. I made them into 6” diameter pancakes. So individual size. I don’t know how long I baked them. It was probably nearly an hour.
Jessicaf North carolina joined 6/20 & has 13 comments
Posted June 19th, 2020 at 12:19 pm | Log in to reply.

We add eggs to this. It adds a softer more custard texture. Very tasty
Tshvahn Minnesota joined 5/20 & has 1 comment
Posted May 1st, 2020 at 12:34 am | Log in to reply.

I made this today and it was so good! My wife and I are very and surprisingly this tasted downright cheesey. Idk what made it taste like fried cheese or if it’s just because we haven’t ate cheese in years but it was delicious!
[email protected] Trinidad and Tobago joined 4/20 & has 1 comment
Posted April 29th, 2020 at 6:52 pm | Log in to reply.

Made with homemade kimchi…..so yummy. Thank you Maangchi!!!
tejas Seattle, WA joined 4/20 & has 2 comments
Posted April 22nd, 2020 at 11:18 pm | Log in to reply.

Made with homemade kimchi, served with homemade makgeolli. All the effort was so rewarding, thanks so much!

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted May 4th, 2020 at 12:40 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Makgeoll and kimchijeon made with your homemade kimchi! It’s such a great combination!
Amandalundgren South Korea joined 4/20 & has 1 comment
Posted April 22nd, 2020 at 6:23 am | Log in to reply.

This was SO good! Now that I found a recipe in English that was super easy to follow, I will be making this often! Also it only requires a few ingredients which made it even better!

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted April 22nd, 2020 at 4:05 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  OMG! It looks very tasty! I have some fermented kimchi in the fridge, so I will make it soon!
barriehie Las Vegas, NV - USA joined 9/19 & has 2 comments
Posted April 11th, 2020 at 8:22 pm | Log in to reply.

I made mine with the last of the Napa cabbage kimchi I had; making room for the new Bok-Choy kimchi! Was really good! Thanks for sharing.

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- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted April 22nd, 2020 at 4:08 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  Delicious!
MaangchiLove Montreal, Toronto joined 8/19 & has 9 comments
Posted April 7th, 2020 at 11:42 pm | Log in to reply.

Made it three hours ago, and it was SO GOOD~!! Thank you, Maangchi~ :D
mabellth Australia joined 6/13 & has 3 comments
Posted April 3rd, 2020 at 1:10 pm | Log in to reply.

Is old kimchi(a minimum of 6 months) worth making kimchi jeon? Also, how to deal with really old kimchi?
- Maangchi New York City joined 8/08 & has 12,019 comments
  Posted April 8th, 2020 at 11:51 am | Log in to reply.
  
  Yes, 6 month old sour kimchi is a good candidate for kimchijeon making! : )
- Ikaika925 Hawaii joined 4/20 & has 1 comment
  Posted April 12th, 2020 at 4:43 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  I make chige with my really old kimchi! Perfect for soups or stews!
Jamndbeanstalk Quezon city, Philippines joined 10/17 & has 1 comment
Posted March 26th, 2020 at 8:56 am | Log in to reply.

can i use rice flour instead?
- jaygles Colorado joined 3/20 & has 2 comments
  Posted April 5th, 2020 at 12:52 pm | Log in to reply.
  
  I used gluten free flour and it turned out great. It may not brown as much just because rice flour doesn’t brown as much as wheat flour, but it should still work! It’s more of a glue than anything.
  - Stgaut Montreal, Canada joined 4/20 & has 1 comment
    Posted April 11th, 2020 at 8:34 pm | Log in to reply.
    
    I made this today and oh my god this is so good! I don’t know how I lived without kimchijeon in my life! Thank you for your amazing recipes!