Jeon- Korean pancakes- this one is vegetarian

My first taste of a traditional Korean pancake was in a little Korean restaurant in Kelowna BC.  The Korean owners prepared their traditional dishes and were always ready with samples.  Delicious. Their jeon were made with shrimp and vegetables.

Jeon is easy to make.  You can include whatever vegetables you have on hand.  It is worthwhile making the dipping sauce, spicy or not, to serve alongside.  Can be served as an appie, a side dish or a main.

Thank you to Bren at brendid.com for the inspiration for this dish.

Korean jeon served with a spicy dipping sauce and homemade kimchi.  

Enjoy!

This recipe serves four.


Ingredients

2 cups      summer squash zucchini (washed, deseeded, and grated)
1 ½ cups  carrots (peeled and grated)
2 cups      potatoes (peeled and grated)
3/4 cup    green onions (finely diced, about 4 onions )
3/4 cup    orange or red sweet pepper (finely diced)
2 cup       all-purpose unbleached flour
1             large egg (beaten)
¾ - 1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp     black pepper
vegetable oil or olive oil
sesame oil

Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce
3 tbsp     soy sauce
2 tbsp     rice vinegar
1 tbsp     white onion (finely chopped)
2 cloves  garlic (finely diced)
1 green   jalapeno pepper (about 2 inches long, sliced, leave in seeds)

Directions

Place all the vegetable in a large bowl. Stir flour into vegetables until well distributed.
Add egg and ¾ cup water, stir. If batter is very stiff add remaining ¼ cup of water.Stir in salt and pepper.

Heat ½ tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil in a skillet and swirl to coat pan bottom. Place ¼ cup of batter in the skillet and use wooden spoon or spatula to spread until thin and evenly distributed (about ¼ inch).

Fry the pancake until golden and crispy, using clean spatula to raise pancake and allow oil to reach beneath (this takes about 3-5 minutes).  Flip the pancake, after 2 minutes drizzle a small amount of sesame oil (1/8 tsp) around the skillet at the outside edge of the pancake.

Again, use a spatula to allow the oil to reach completely under the pancake. Make sure that the pancake is tender in the center and very crispy on the outside.  Remove the pancake from the skillet and place on a plate covered with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

Continue until all pancakes are cooked. Add extra vegetable oil or olive oil between batches as needed.

Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce
Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, white onion, garlic, sliced jalapeno pepper in a small bowl. Stir to combine. Let ingredients sit together while you cook the pancakes or for several hours, if possible.