Name: Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon/파전)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 10-12 scallions, chopped into 2-3 inch lengths with root removed.; 1 1/4 cup water; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp (and more) of canola oil for pan frying.; 1 red pepper, sliced thin (optional, for decoration)

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Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon) – This crispy Korean side dish can be in under 25 minutes using only 2 ingredients! It's the perfect savory food for a rainy day.

What is Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon/파전)?

When you hear the phrase "scallion pancakes," the first image that comes to mind is probably that of Chinese scallion pancakes. However, Korean scallion pancakes (or Pajeon/파전, pronounced pa-jeon) use batter rather than dough in binding the scallions together. In addition, the scallions are cut in approximately finger long pieces rather than being diced up to create a filling in the Chinese version.

Pajeon comes in a number of variations, and the most famous kind that are often served in restaurants is the Haemul Pajeon (hae-mul-pa-jeon, which literally translates to "seafood scallion pancake"). However, unfortunately seafood is not vegan, so we will just make a more humble vegan version that is super easy to make with just 2 ingredients.

What do you need to make Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon)?

Typically in Korea the batter is made using buchimgaru (bu-chim-ga-ru ,"pancake flour") which are sold in all supermarkets. However, you can make pajeon with regular all-purpose flour too!

For this Pajeon recipe, you just need the following 2 main ingredients!

All-purpose flour
Scallions

Scallions are just one of those vegetables that I always have a bunch or two lying around in the back of my fridge, so this is a great recipe to make a meal out of those awkward on-the-way-to-becoming-stale scallions that you don't really know what to do with.

You also need the following equipment:

A large frying pan (preferably non-stick)

How do you make Pajeon?

You can make Pajeon following the above simple steps:

Prepare the ingredients and place the flour in a large bowl.
Mix the water with the flour until the batter has no lumps. The viscosity should be such that when you lift the spatula, the liquid should slowly drip.
Add the salt to the batter and set aside.
Take the scallions and chop them into 2-3 inch pieces, discarding the roots.
Place the scallions in another bowl and add about ½ cup of the batter.
Make sure the scallions are well coated in the batter. This will help to prevent the scallions from burning.
In a large pan, heat up a generous amount of unflavored oil (I used canola, 2 tbsp) and bring it to medium heat. Layer half of the scallion mixture first and roughly give it a circular shape. Then slowly pour ½ cup of the batter over the scallions, taking care to get the batter in the spaces between the scallions. Then use a spatula to shape the edges of the pajeon to a round shape.
Cook the pajeon for about 4-5 minutes on medium heat, until the edges are browned and crispy. Then using a spatula (or two), carefully flip the pancake over to cook the other side. Cook this side for another 4-5 minutes, and use the spatula to press down gently all around the pancake to make sure it is not too thick and the batter will be evenly cooked. Feel free to cook the sides longer if you want a crispier pancake.
Repeat steps 7-8 to make the second pancake.
Serve with some pajeon dipping sauce!

Tips and Tricks for the best Korean Scallion Pancake (Pajeon)

Layer the scallions first. I've tried making Pajeon where mixed the scallions into the batter and tried to scoop out the batter and scallions together onto the pan. That didn't really work because it's really hard to control the even spread of the scallions when you also have a scoop of batter to spread. In addition, the batter starts to cook pretty quickly once it is in the pan, so it's really important that you layer the scallions first to get the shape of the pancake ready before pouring the rest of the pancake batter to bind the scallions together.
Coat the scallions in some batter before layering them. Before you dive into layering the scallions, you should give them a light coating of batter before placing them in the pan. This will prevent the scallions from being burnt.
Layer the batter on top of the scallions to bind them together. Because the scallions are are cut in large pieces, if you don't have enough batter holding them together, it's really easy to have the pancake break apart when you attempt to flip it.
Wait until the edges are brown and crispy before flipping. If you don't wait long enough, the pancake will fall apart when you try to flip it over.
Use two spatulas to flip. Two spatulas are more stable than one.

This Pajeon is...

Made with just 2 ingredients!
Can be made in under 25 minutes!
Enough for 4 servings of appetizer
Crispy, greasy and delicious

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make it gluten-free? I have not made this recipe, but I think it is possible to make it with gluten-free flour. Korean cuisine also uses many other types of flour (e.g. rice, buckwheat) in addition to other ingredients to create jeon, so I don't see why gluten-free flour can't be used. It probably won't have the same chewy inner texture though.
How long can I store this Pajeon? You can store this pajeon in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can always microwave it before eating if you are saving it for later. However, I recommend eating it straightaway for maximum crispiness.
Can I eat this on its own? I recommend eating this with some pajeon dipping sauce, but if you don't have sesame oil to make the dipping sauce, you can always drizzle some soy sauce.
What goes well with this dish? Koreans really like to drink Makgeolli (mak-geol-li, fermented rice wine that is milky and off-white in color) with this on a rainy day. You can also serve this dish to be eaten family-style before the main course of a stew or rice based dish.

If your question isn't answered here, be sure to check out the comments section below. You might find the answer to your question down there. Otherwise, please leave a comment on this post so I can get back to you ASAP!

As always, thanks for reading!

Best,