Kimchi pancake

Hi, everybody! I’m going to introduce 2 kinds of kimchijeon to you today: chopped kimchi pancake and non-chopped kimchi pancake.

The kimchijeon made with chopped kimchi is very easy and simple to make. You don’t need any special ingredients as long as you have some kimchi in your fridge. I usually make this style of kimchijeon at home.

The kimchijeon made with whole kimchi leaves is what I would call upgraded kimchijeon. ; )

Have you ever seen this kind of kimchijeon? My late grandmother used to make it for us. I thought this style of kimchijeon looked very special when I saw her cooking this pancake for the first time. I remember what I thought when I saw her making this pancake: “Hmm, grandma treats the kimchi leaf like a slice of fish? Interesting!” but I never told her what I thought. I just watched what she was doing.

I miss my grandmother now. She would be so proud of me if she knew I was posting her recipe here!

Which recipe would you like better? : )

In the video, I’m showing how to cut the big round chopped kimchi kimchijeon (12 inches wide because my frying pan is 12 inches wide) into bite sized pieces, but as I mentioned in the video, you could serve it right out of the pan without cutting. It’s usually served as family snack that way. Use your chopsticks to tear a piece of the kimchijeon from the plate.

It may be difficult to do alone because the rest of the kimchijeon should remain on the plate for everyone else. So one of your family members should grab the pancake with her or his chopsticks so you can tear more easily. Helping each other is very important when you eat this way!

“Let me eat some, I need someone’s help! Grab the corner of this pancake for me, plz!”

If you cut it into bite sized pieces, it’s usually served as a side dish. It’s a popular side dish for lunch box, too.

Enjo~yee the recipe! : )

Kimchijeon made with chopped kimchi

Yield: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

Kimchi, onion, salt, sugar, flour, vegetable oil.

Directions

1. In a bowl, place 1 cup of chopped kimchi, 3 tbs of kimchi juice, 2 tbs chopped onion, ½ ts salt, ½ ts sugar, ½ cup flour (all purpose flour), and ¼ cup of water and mix it well with a spoon.
   
2. Heat up a 12 inch non-stick pan over medium high heat and drizzle about 2 tbs grape seed oil.
3. Place the mixture of kimchi pancake batter on the pan and spread it thinly and evenly with a spoon.
4. Cook it for 1 to 1½ minutes until the bottom gets golden brown and crispy.
5. Turn it over with a spatula or flip it.
   
6. Lower the heat to medium and cook for another 1½ minutes.
7. Turn it over one more time and cook for 30 seconds before transfering it to a serving plate.
   *tip: Serve it right out of the pan or cool it down and cut it into bite size to serve.

Kimchijeon made with whole kimchi leaves

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

Kimchi, ground pork, tofu, onion chives (or green onions), onion, salt, black ground pepper, sesame oil, egg, flour, grape seed oil.

Directions

Prepare kimchi

1. Prepare 6 or 7 kimchi leaves (6 to 7 inches long, or 16 cm) and ½ cup flour in a plate.
   
2. Coat both sides of each kimchi leaf  in the flour by hand.

Make meat mixture

1. In a small bowl, add 2 tbs ground pork (or beef),  2 tbs tofu (after gently squeezing out excess water with a paper towel), 1 ts chopped onion chives (or green onion), 1 tbs chopped onion, a pinch of salt and black ground pepper, 1 ts of sesame oil, and mix the mixture well with a spoon.
2. Set aside.

Make the pancakes

1. Place 1 egg in a small bowl and add a pinch of salt. Beat it with a fork.
2. Add some of the meat-tofu mix on one side of a kimchi stem. Add some flour on top of the mixture.
3. Put some of the meat-tofu mix on the rest of kimchi leaves.
   
4. Heat up a non-stick pan and add some grape seed oil (or vegetable oil).
5. Coat each kimchi leaf with beaten egg mix and place on the heated pan.
   *tip: the meat mixture should be bottom of the pan
   
6. When the bottom of the kimchi pancake turns golden brown (1 or 1½ minutes), turn it over and cook another minute.
7. Turn it over one more time and cook another 30 seconds before transfering it to a serving plate.
   *tip: you can serve it as it is or cut it into bite size before serving