Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon)

This savory Korean Seafood Pancake is a delectable side dish loved by many around the world. Created with a harmony of shrimp, calamari, green onions, and flavourful batter, this dish makes for a perfect treat to satisfy your tastebuds.

Rich and flavourful batter

To make the extra-savory pancake, creating a base that is flavourful on its own is the key. To create a rich batter, you will need only three ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 dried kelp (or dasima) which is a commonly-used ingredient in Korean cuisine
• 1 cup Korean pancake mix (substitute with flour if necessary)

To create the base broth, insert dried kelp in a pot of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool before mixing with pancake mix, to at least room temperature. It’s important to cool the broth before use as it will clump up into dough-like texture if otherwise. Mix 3/4 cup of cooled broth with pancake mix, and insert the rest of the ingredients.

Customizable texture

Based on personal preference, you can adjust the ratio of crispiness vs tenderness with a few different methods:

• If you prefer a tender and chewy texture as I do, please retain 100% flour to water ratio.
• For a crispier outer layer, please use the 2:1 ratio of pancake mix: frying mix (or Japanese tempura batter mix). Both ingredients can be found at a local Korean grocery store.

Hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know in the comments below or send me a message on Instagram for any questions!

Print Recipe

Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon)

Created with a harmony of shrimp, calamari, green onions, and flavorful batter, this Korean Seafood Pancake (Haemul Pajeon) makes for a perfect treat.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Course: Appetizer, Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: calamari, pajeon, pancake, pancake batter, savory pancake, seafood, shrimp

Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 cup Korean pancake mix substitute with flour if necessary
• 120 grams calamari cut in bite-sized pieces
• 80 grams large or cocktail shrimp
• 60 grams green onion or scallions
• 1/4 white onion sliced
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• cooking oil for frying

broth

• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 dried kelp slices 5x5"

Instructions

• Create broth by inserting kelp slices in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes on medium heat. Let cool until at least room temperature.
• Julienne green onions and thinly sliced white onions. Prepare calamari in bite-size pieces, while defrosting shrimp in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes. Take shrimp out onto a kitchen towel and let dry. Bring together calamari and shrimp and season with garlic and black pepper, mixing well together.
• In a separate bowl, prepare batter by mixing together broth and pancake mix. Insert seafood mix, green onion, and white onion and mix until all ingredients are combined.
• Prepare a flat skillet on high heat. Once heated, insert 1 tbsp of cooking oil to cover the whole surface. Lower the heat to medium, and pour the mix to evenly cover the surface. Cook for one minute, and carefully flip to the other side. Insert an additional tbsp of oil, and cook for another minute. Lightly press the surface and cook until it is lightly browned, flipping occasionally. Serve immediately with a side of soy sauce.

Notes

Please feel free to add any more seafood if you prefer! Other popular additions include clams or oysters.

Did you make this recipe?

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