Pajeon

About Pajeon

Pajeon is a Korean savory pancake whose name comes from pa, meaning scallion, the ingredient that defines it. Whole lengths of scallion are bound in a thin egg-and-flour batter and fried until the edges crisp and the center stays tender, producing something closer to a crackly fritter than a fluffy breakfast pancake. It belongs to the broader family of jeon, pan-fried batter dishes eaten across Korea, and it is classic rainy-day and drinking food, the sort of thing that appears alongside makgeolli rice wine or as a shared starter. The pancake itself is mild and oniony, which is exactly why the dipping sauce does so much of the work.

That sauce, a quick mix of soy, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame seeds, brings the salt, tang, and nuttiness that cut through the fried batter and wake the whole thing up. Because there is no leavening, the goal is thinness and crisp edges rather than height, so the batter is whisked loose and the pancake is fried in a wide pan in hot oil until deeply golden on both sides. It comes together in about twenty minutes with a short ingredient list, which makes it an easy vegetarian snack or appetizer. Cut it into pieces so everyone can grab a wedge, dip, and eat it hot while the edges are still crisp.