Haemul Pajeon
Haemul pajeon — seafood and scallion pancake — comes from Busan and the coastal villages where scallions grow thick and the fishing boats return daily with fresh catch. The sizzle of the pancake hitting hot oil is said to sound like rain on a roof, which is part of why Koreans often cook and eat it on rainy days, alongside a glass of makgeolli, a cloudy, faintly tart rice wine. The secret to a good pancake lies in the balance between the scallions as a dense base and a batter thin enough to bind everything without drowning the flavours. The seafood must be dried well beforehand, or it will release water while frying and soften the pancake. It is cut into squares with kitchen scissors right in the pan, a practical habit inherited from home kitchens where plates were few and scissors were always within reach.
Fresh mixed seafood
Shrimp, squid and mussels in the batter
Thick bed of scallions
Whole stalks form the base
Rainy-day snack
Traditionally eaten on rainy afternoons
Crisp at the edges
Pan-fried in plenty of oil until golden
Ingredients 4 servings
- 200 g mixed seafood (peeled shrimp, squid rings, cooked mussels)
- 2 generous bunches thin scallions (about 300 g), stalks left whole
- 150 g all-purpose flour
- 30 g potato or corn starch
- 1 egg
- 240 ml ice-cold water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Neutral oil, for frying
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 red chile, thinly sliced (optional, for the sauce)
How to make it
- 1PREP THE SEAFOOD: pat the shrimp, squid rings and mussels very dry on kitchen paper — extra moisture thins the batter and stops it browning.
- 2MAKE THE BATTER: whisk the flour, starch and salt in a bowl, then beat the egg with the ice-cold water separately and pour it over the dry ingredients, stirring only until just combined — a slightly lumpy batter fries up crisper than a smooth one.
- 3LAY OUT THE SCALLIONS: lightly oil a wide non-stick pan over medium-high heat, then arrange the scallion stalks side by side into a compact rectangle — this is the pancake's frame.
- 4POUR THE BATTER: pour the batter over the scallions to coat them thinly and evenly, then scatter the seafood on top, pressing gently so it sticks.
- 5FRY THE FIRST SIDE: cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes without moving the pan, until the edges brown and the centre sets.
- 6FLIP AND FINISH: add a little oil around the edges, carefully flip the pancake using a large plate or two spatulas, then press down gently and fry 3-4 minutes more until golden and crisp on both sides.
- 7MAKE THE SAUCE AND SERVE: stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds and sliced chile; cut the pancake into squares with kitchen scissors and serve hot with the sauce alongside for dipping.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
