Haemul Pajeon (Korean Seafood Pancake)

How to make haemul pajeon

Haemul pajeon is a crispy, savory Korean pancake filled with seafood and green onions and eaten as an appetizer or a light meal; "haemul" means seafood, and "pajeon" means pancake. Using Korean pancake mix and frying mix for the batter makes this an easy dish to make.

You can vary the seafood used in these pancakes; mussels, prawns, and lobster also work nicely here. Make sure they are chopped into bite-size pieces so the pancakes are easy to eat; your fishmonger can do this for you if you prefer. If you are using frozen seafood to make these pancakes, be sure to thaw it completely before adding it to the batter.

Have all your ingredients ready before making the haemul pajeon, as the cooking process moves pretty quickly. The mixes used to make the batter include flour and cornstarch, and can get gummy if you overmix the batter, so be gentle when folding in the seafood and scallions. Let the oil heat for a minute before adding the batter to the pan, so the bottom of the pancake doesn't stick to the pan and it crisps up quickly. Use a wide spatula to flip the pancake over, so you don't lose pieces of seafood. Make the dipping sauce before the batter or while the pancakes cook, so it is ready to serve; you'll want to eat the pancakes immediately after cooking them. These pancakes are a nice starter before eating Korean barbecue.