This is one of my favorite types of jeon. You may have seen a version of it in many Korean restaurants as scallion and seafood pancake. This one is a simplified take on that. It uses buchu (chives) instead of scallions, because on a lazy day, I’d like to just make a quick few chops of chives instead of painstakingly julienning scallions. Instead of a medley of frozen shellfish, I opt for fresh calamari you can get from your local fishmonger. The batter with rice flour results in a lighter, crispier pancake. Try this on a rainy day with a glass of makgeolli like Koreans do.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 20 min |
| Active: | 20 min |
| Yield: | 2 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup sliced garlic chives (1-inch pieces)
- 1/3 cup calamari or small, lean squid, such as Narragansett squid
- 1 medium hot pepper, like Lady Choi, Jimmy Nardello, Fresno or jalapeño, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup Master Jeon Batter, recipe follows
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil, like canola
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rice flour (or substitute cornstarch or potato starch, but do not use mochiko or sweet rice flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the garlic chives, calamari or squid and hot peppers in a mixing bowl. Add the Master Jeon Batter and 1/2 cup cold water to the mixing bowl and mix everything gently with your hands. Do not overwork the batter into the seafood and vegetables. It should look like the ingredients are barely held together with the batter. Having air pocket space, rather than one big sticky lump, is important.
- Place a nonstick pan over medium heat and add the oil. When the pan is hot, add the batter mixture, making sure the seafood and vegetables are laid down haphazardly with holes and spaces, rather than in one smooth pancake. Air holes are great as they will create more crispy pieces and provide space for the excess oil to drain. Cook until the edges are golden brown, about 2 minutes, then flip the pancake gently and slowly using a spatula. Cook until both sides are golden brown and the batter is no longer wet, about an additional minute. Transfer to a cookie rack or a pan lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. When cool enough to handle, slice and serve warm.
- Mix together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl to combine.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 2 servings |
| Calories | 518 |
| Total Fat | 16 g |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 82 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 1 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 33 mg |
| Sodium | 372 mg |
Reviews
The last thing that I would use in here in calamari? Shrimp, lobster crab?