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Saengseon jeon
Egg-battered fish slices
Saengseon jeon (생선전): pan-fried egg-coated white fish slices
Saengseon jeon is one of the golden jeon laid out on ancestral rite tables at Chuseok and Seollal, especially in coastal homes along the East Sea, where pollock and cod are the holiday fish. Thin slices of white fish are seasoned, floured, dipped in egg and fried gently, giving delicate, tender fish inside a soft yellow coat. They are eaten with a soy-vinegar dip. The common mistake is cutting the fish too thick, so the egg browns before the centre is cooked. Chef's tip: slice the fillets while they are still half-frozen; you can cut neat 7 mm slices that cook in the time it takes the egg to set.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 14 oz skinless white fish fillets (cod, pollock or haddock)pin-boned
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 3 eggsbeaten with a pinch of salt
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 red chilli (optional)cut into small rings, for decoration
- 8 flat-leaf parsley or chrysanthemum leaves (optional)small leaves, for decoration
For the dip
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 14 oz skinless white fish fillets (cod, pollock or haddock) on the diagonal into slices about 7 mm thick and 6 cm long. Lay on kitchen paper, sprinkle with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp ground white pepper and leave for 10 minutes; pat dry.
10 minStep 2: Dust each slice in 1 ⅜ oz plain flour, shaking off the excess, then dip in 3 eggs.
Step 3: Heat 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp neutral oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat. Lay in the slices and press a ring of 1 red chilli and a leaf of 8 flat-leaf parsley or chrysanthemum leaves on top of each, if using.
Step 4: Fry for 2–3 minutes per side, until the coating is pale gold and the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes when pressed.
5 minStep 5: Repeat with the rest, adding oil as needed. Drain on kitchen paper.
10 minStep 6: Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp rice vinegar and serve with the warm jeon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 240 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does saengseon jeon take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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