Pajeon: The Traditional Korean Pancake

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When you hear the word pancake, you’ll probably imagine the flat, fluffy and round cake made with eggs, flour, milk and batter that is usually eaten during breakfast.

But, the Korean pancake or 전 (jeon) is totally different. This particular dish is made with either minced fish, meat or vegetables coated with flour and egg wash before being fried.

Instead of breakfast, jeon is eaten as an appetizer, side dish or snack while drinking alcohol. It also has many types, but the four most common ones are jeon made of meat or 육전 (yukjeon), jeon made of seafood or 해물전 (haemeul-jeon), jeon made of vegetables or 채소전 (chaeso-jeon) and jeon made out of edible flowers or 화전 (hawajeon)

Today, we will be featuring one variety of vegetable jeon – 파전 or pajeon, which is made of scallions or chives. It is typically mixed with seafood too, and is called haemul-pajeon.

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Also known with its longer name “Dongnae pajeon”, the history of this fritter can actually traced back to the times of Imjin War. It was named after 동래성 (Dongnaesung), an old fortress in the Joseon Dynasty. Presently, it is now a district in Busan city.

It is believed that the residents of Dongnae used to throw scallions to the Japanese soldiers who are invading the area. When they won, they created pajeon to commemorate their victory.

The Dongnae market also boomed during the Joseon area, which lead the dish to be also served at the king’s table.

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To make pajeon at home, all you need are six ingredients. Green onions/chives, flour, water, soybean paste, sugar and vegetable oil. After washing and cutting the green onions, you need to create a batter by mixing flour, water, soybean paste and sugar in a bowl.

Next step, heat a non-stick pan and add vegetable oil. Then you’ll put the green onion on the pan before pouring the batter over it. If you want to add seafood on your jeon, add it on top of the green onions before the batter.

Wait for a few minutes until it turns golden brown, then flip it so the other side will be cooked too! Pajeon is best paired with sauce, which is also easy to make.

Simply mix soy sauce, vinegar, sugar or honey, onion, pepper as well as toasted sesame seeds and you’re good to go!

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Here in Singapore, the Bigmama Korea Restaurant is serving this dish, alongside other authentic homestyle meals. It is located at 2 Kiam Tian Road in Tiong Bahru and established way back in 2012.

They are proud to offer meals that are MSG-free, and some of their specialties include the Dakgalbi and Suyuk. Bigmama also has a variety of liquors available from makgeolli or Korean rice wine, Bokbunja or black raspberry wine, Soju and Hite beer.

Of course, these alcohols is best paired with jeon! You can check out their whole menu here.

Want to watch how pajeon is made? Check out this video below!