Kimchi jeon, a savory, flavor-packed Korean pancake, is a quick and easy dish usually enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. My spin includes an entire can of corn plus shredded mozzarella in the batter—for a cheesy, subtly sweet twist on the original. A drizzle of Japanese-style mayo and a sprinkle of furikake before serving take the place of the usual soy sauce-based dipping sauce, adding a bit of richness, umami and texture. Make sure to use ice-cold water for the batter and don’t skimp on oil when cooking the pancakes.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 45 min |
| Active: | 45 min |
| Yield: | 4 pancakes |
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rice flour (non glutinous)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons gochugaru
- Kosher salt
- One 8.75-ounce can whole kernel corn
- 1 cup shredded low-moisture mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup ice water
- 1/4 cup kimchi, squeezed dry and chopped, plus 1/2 cup kimchi brine ( see Cook’s Note)
- Canola oil, for cooking
- Japanese-style mayonnaise, such as Kewpie, and furikake, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with a cooling rack; set aside.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, gochugaru and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the corn with its liquid, mozzarella, ice water and kimchi and brine and toss and combine with a rubber spatula until well incorporated. (The batter will be thick but should be fluid enough to pour out onto the skillet and spread with a spoon/rubber spatula. Add a tablespoon of water at a time, if needed.)
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 3/4 cup batter to the skillet and spread the batter with the spatula to the edges of the skillet. Lower the heat to low and cook until the top of the pancake loses its shine and becomes dry and set and the edges turn crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 more minutes, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil if the pancake seems dry (see Cook’s Note). Transfer the pancake to the cooling rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Drizzle mayonnaise over the pancakes and garnish with furikake.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 370 |
| Total Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated Fat | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Protein | 12 g |
| Cholesterol | 23 mg |
| Sodium | 425 mg |