Kimchi Pancake Recipe (Kimchijeon 김치전)

Kimchi Pancake or Kimchijeon (김치전), is a type of savory Korean pancake made using Kimchi. It’s incredibly easy to make and tastes fantastic. The taste is slightly sour with a bit of a spicy kick to it and pairs absolutely well with any and all other foods.

Did you know that Kimchi is actually one of my most favorite things to eat of all time?

It’s true!

Kimchi has such a unique taste where it is a bit sour and also spicy at the same time and makes for a really enjoyable experience.

I would always buy jars and jars of them and go through them like water. I would usually have it as a side dish for any and all meals that I am having. Especially when I’m eating any rice dishes as the kimchi pairs really well with most rice dishes.

However did you know that there are other uses for kimchi besides being a side dish? In fact, if you ever visited Korea, you will find out that they use kimchi in almost everything. From dumplings to stews or even noodles and more.

But my preferred use of using kimchi is definitely to make pancakes. Kimchi Pancakes are some of the tastiest things you’ll ever eat. It is crispy, sour, spicy, healthy and makes for one heck of a meal.

And here in this post, I will be showing you my favorite method of making these pancakes.

So if you’re ready, lets get started!

What Is Kimchi?

Have you ever had Kimchi before?

If you haven’t, you are probably wondering exactly what Kimchi is as well as what Kimchi tastes like.

Well for starters, Kimchi is basically a traditional side dish made up of salted and fermented vegetables. Usually with napa cabbage and Korean radish that is then paired with a variety of seasonings including chili powder, spring onions, garlic, ginger, salted seafood, and more.

It is a staple ingredient found in almost every single Korean household in Korea.

This ingredient is incredibly versatile as you can use it for many different things. For instance you can eat it as a side dish, put it in soups, make pancakes, or even stuff it inside dumplings and more. The options are endless.

Plus, when eating Kimchi, you’ll find that it offers a really unique taste. Somewhat sour depending on how long its been fermented as well as being spicy. However, it’s a taste that can easily be acquired and will instantly make anybody fall in love with it.

What Is Kimchi Pancake?

What is Kimchi Pancake / Kimchijeon / 김치전 you might ask?

It’s basically exactly how it sounds.

Kimchi Pancake is a pancake that is made using the Kimchi ingredient. And here in Korea, there are a variety of different methods to make this amazing dish. With the most common one being just sliced kimchi, flour batter, and sometimes other vegetables.

In some cases, meats like ground pork or seafood can also be added. But that is optional.

This dish is typically recognized in Korean culture as a folk dish of low profile because of the fact that anybody can easily make it at home with barely any extra budget. But even being so cheap, it is still beloved by many for its amazing taste and flavor.

In fact, if you go to any Korean restaurant, you will almost always find this being served on the menu because of just how good and tasty it really is.

Typically this dish will be served as a appetizer or snack before the main dish.

Ingredients To Make Kimchi Pancake

The ingredients used to make Kimchi Pancake / Kimchijeon / 김치전 are all very easy to find.

Basically you’ll need the following:

• All Purpose Flour – 1/2 Cup
• Potato Starch – 1/4 Cup
• Kimchi – 1/2 Cup
• Kimchi Water – 2 Tablespoon
• Scallions – 2 to 3 Sticks
• Vegetable Oil – 2 Tablespoon
• Salt – 1/4 Teaspoon
• Water – 1/2 Cup

And that’s basically it!

How To Make Kimchi Pancake

Making Kimchi Pancake / Kimchijeon / 김치전 takes only a few minutes of your time and will result in something truly amazing.

Here is the process to make Kimchi Pancake:

Making The Batter

First grab a cutting board and cut your scallions into tiny pieces. Then set it aside.

Now on the same cutting board, lay out your kimchi on top of it. Then with a knife, you’ll want to chop the kimchi into small pieces.

Then grab a large mixing bowl and add in your All-Purpose Flour, Potato Starch, Kimchi, Kimchi Water, Scallions, Salt and Water.

Mix everything around until everything looks like a liquid paste. This is going to be your batter.

Now it’s time to cook it.

Cooking The Kimchi Pancake

Grab a pan or skillet and pour some oil into it over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot enough, you’ll want to pour your entire batter into the pan. Using your spatula or spoon, you’ll want to flatten the batter and shape it into a round circle shape.

Let it cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown and crispy.

Then you’ll want to use your spatula and flip the pancake over and let it cook on the other side.

Let it continue to cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until both sides are equally crispy and golden brown.

Once the pancake is nicely crispy and golden brown on both sides, turn off the heat.

It is now ready to serve.

How To Store/Keep For Future Eating

Storing this Kimchi Pancake / Kimchijeon / 김치전 dish is a really simple thing to do.

Basically once you finish cooking the pancake, if you want to store it for future eating then you’ll have to let it cool down. Once it is cooled down, you can wrap it up. Then store it in the fridge where it will be good for up to 3 days.

It works the same way for leftovers. All you have to do is simply wrap it up and store it in the fridge. However I promise you that you will not have to do this. Mainly because there will be no leftovers from how good it tastes!

As for re-heating this dish, simply just put it back on the pan over medium-high heat for a minute or so until it becomes hot enough to eat again.

Did you try making my Kimchi Pancake / Kimchijeon / 김치전? If so, how were they? I would love to hear all about it down in the comment section below or you can connect with my on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram.

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