Photo by Judith Hausman
Korean-style scallion pancakes are a treat.
Korean-Style Scallion Pancakes I can’t claim any authentic Korean creds, but the slim purple-and-green scallions, or onion thinnings, that I brought home from my new CSA farm deserved to be showcased in Korean-style scallion pancakes.
Korean-style scallion pancakes are a very fast vegetarian dish that can be a light meal or can be divided and served as an appetizer. The pancakes are thicker than crepes, leavened only by an egg, and are served with a simple, savory dipping sauce. I could have added a handful of thinly-sliced asparagus or quick-cooked greens, such as spinach, bok choy or mustard (nothing too bulky or fibrous); this time I used skinny strips of nonlocal peppers.
To serve alongside the pancakes, I also made a stir-fry of asparagus, baby bok choy and white turnips, sprinkled with sesame seeds and a drop of Asian sesame oil. You could also sprinkle these in your pancake batter, if you prefer.
Servings: 2 to 4 for a main course; 4 to 6 as an appetizer
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 cup flour (I used 1/4 cup whole wheat in the mix)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 6 to 8 scallions, trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 sweet pepper (green or other color), thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar (optional, for dipping sauce)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (optional, for dipping sauce)
In a medium-to-large bowl, gradually whisk water into flour; season with the salt and pepper. Whisk in the egg to form a not-too-thin batter. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes.
On a nonstick griddle or in a flat pan, heat the oil. Arrange the scallions in two separate single-layer piles, and cook briefly until sizzling. Ladle 3/4 of the batter into the pan, covering both piles of scallions; reserve about 1/4 of the batter.
Scatter on the pepper slices (or other vegetables, if using), and pour the remaining batter over them. Cook 3 to 5 minutes until the undersides are golden; then flip each using two spatulas. Lower the heat a little, and cook 3 to 5 minutes more.
Create the dipping sauce by mixing together the rice vinegar and soy sauce.
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