AI-generated image
Yachae jeon
Vegetable pancakes
Yachae jeon (야채전): thin Korean pancakes of shredded mixed vegetables, eaten cold in the dosirak
Korean fridge-clearing at its best: courgette, carrot, onion and chives shredded thin and bound with just enough batter to hold them together, then fried into lacy pancakes. Hot, they are a rainy-day snack with makgeolli; cut into wedges the next day, they fill a dosirak and taste good cold. The common mistake is too much batter, which gives a thick, doughy pancake; the vegetables should look barely coated. Chef's tip: use ice-cold water in the batter and press each pancake flat with the spatula after flipping, for crisp edges that last until lunchtime.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the pancakes
- 1 small courgettecut into fine matchsticks
- 1 small carrotcut into fine matchsticks
- ½ onionthinly sliced
- 1 oz garlic chives or spring onionscut into 4 cm lengths
- 2 ⅞ oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp potato starch or cornflour
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup ice-cold water
- 3 tbsp neutral oilfor frying
For the dipping sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru) (optional)
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 small courgette, 1 small carrot, ½ onion and 1 oz garlic chives or spring onions in a large bowl.
Step 2: Whisk 2 ⅞ oz plain flour, 2 tbsp potato starch or cornflour, ½ tsp salt and ¾ cup ice-cold water into a thin batter, like single cream. Pour over the vegetables and mix until just coated.
Step 3: Heat 1 tbsp neutral oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Spread a third of the mixture into a thin round about 20 cm across.
Step 4: Fry for 3 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp at the edges, then flip, press flat and fry for 2 minutes more. Repeat with the remaining 2 tbsp neutral oil and mixture.
15 minStep 5: Mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and ½ tsp Korean chilli flakes (gochugaru) for dipping.
Step 6: Drain on a rack so the pancakes stay crisp. Cool, cut into wedges and pack with the dipping sauce in a small pot; eat within the day.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does yachae jeon take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of courgette?
- Cucumber, same weight (raw dishes only).
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Indian
Yaki onigiriGrilled rice balls
Yaki onigiri (焼きおにぎり) are rice balls grilled until they form a crisp, toasty crust, then brushed with soy sauce glaze. They are eaten all over Japan, at izakaya, at barbecues and from the freezer section, as a snack or with miso soup. The inside stays soft and steamy while the outside crackles. Best eaten hot, straight from the pan. Chef's tip: let the shaped rice balls dry for 10 minutes before they go in the pan. A drier surface forms a better crust and won't stick, and the glaze goes on only at the end so it doesn't burn.
Japanese
Taiwanese grilled corn
At Raohe and Shilin night markets the grilled-corn stalls are easy to find: look for the queue and the smoky, sweet smell. Cobs are par-cooked, then turned slowly over charcoal while the cook brushes them with a dark glaze of sacha sauce, thick soy paste, garlic and chilli, layer after layer, until the kernels are sticky, slightly charred and deeply savoury. It is eaten hot from a paper sleeve while walking the market. Sacha (shacha) sauce, a Taiwanese barbecue paste, usually contains dried fish and shrimp; vegetarian sacha is sold in Asian shops. Contains soy, wheat and fish. Chef's tip: brush thin coats and turn often; one thick coat burns before the corn chars.
Taiwanese