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A golden-brown haemul pajeon scallion and seafood pancake on a plate

Haemul Pajeon Recipe

A haemul pajeon recipe built around what actually matters: getting the edges crisp. Batter temperature, oil amount, and the rainy-day dish behind it.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients
  

  • 100 g / 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 30 g / 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 180 ml / 3/4 cup very cold water or cold sparkling water
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 150 g / 1 bunch scallions, cut into 10 cm / 4 in lengths
  • 150 g / 5 oz mixed seafood — shrimp, squid, and mussels, cleaned and roughly chopped
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil, for frying
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp gochugaru
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method
 

  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cold water, egg, and salt together in a bowl until just combined. Don't overwork it — a few small lumps are fine, and overmixing develops gluten that makes the pancake chewy instead of crisp.
  2. Rest the batter in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Cold batter hitting a hot pan is what creates the crisp edge; room-temperature batter steams instead of frying.
  3. Lay the scallions in the pan first in a flat, even layer roughly the size of the finished pancake, rather than stirring them into the batter.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick or well-seasoned pan over medium heat until it shimmers. Ladle the batter evenly over the scallions, covering them completely.
  5. Scatter the seafood over the top while the batter is still wet, pressing each piece down gently so it's held in place once the batter sets.
  6. Cook undisturbed for 4 to 5 minutes, until the underside is deep golden and the edges have visibly crisped and pulled slightly away from the pan.
  7. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil around the edges, then flip using a large plate or a second pan — slide the pancake onto the plate, then invert the pan over it and flip both together.
  8. Cook the second side another 3 to 4 minutes, pressing down once with a spatula halfway through to flatten it against the hot pan for even crisping.
  9. Slide onto a cutting board, let it sit 1 minute before slicing into wedges — cutting immediately releases steam that softens the crust. Serve with the dipping sauce made from soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, and sesame seeds.