Haemul Pajeon — koreanischer Meeresfrüchte-Frühlingszwiebel-Pfannkuchen
Korea's beloved savoury pancake: a batter laced with whole scallions and loaded with seafood — squid, shrimp, mussels — fried until the edges are lacy and crisp and the middle stays tender, with an egg often poured over to set it. Haemul pajeon is rainy-day comfort and the classic partner to makgeolli (rice wine), torn into shares and dipped in a tangy soy-vinegar sauce. The trick is a hot, well-oiled pan for crisp edges.
Make a thin batter of flour (and a little rice flour for crispness) with cold water and a pinch of salt. Lay a bed of whole scallions in a hot, well-oiled pan, pour over enough batter to bind them, and scatter chopped mixed seafood on top. Cook until the underside is golden and crisp, then pour a beaten egg over, flip, and crisp the other side. Serve hot, cut into pieces, with a dipping sauce of soy, vinegar, a little sugar and chilli.
- Use a hot, generously oiled pan so the edges fry up lacy and crisp, not soft.
- A little rice flour (or potato starch) in the batter adds extra crispness.
- Lay the scallions first, bind with batter, top with seafood — and don't make the batter too thick.
Equipment
- Large non-stick or cast-iron pan
- Bowl
- Spatula
Zutaten
Batter
- 120 g plain flour
- 2 tbsp rice flour or potato starch (for crispness)
- 180 ml cold water
- Pinch salt; 1 egg (to pour over)
Toppings
- 1 big bunch scallions (spring onions), whole, trimmed
- 250 g mixed seafood (squid, shrimp, mussels), chopped
- Optional: sliced red chilli; neutral oil for frying
Dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sugar; sesame seeds; chilli flakes
Zubereitung
- SCHRITT01
Whisk the flour, rice flour, salt and cold water into a thin, smooth batter (keep it cold). Mix the dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
- SCHRITT02
Heat a generous layer of oil in a large pan until hot. Lay the whole scallions in a single layer across the pan.
- SCHRITT03
Pour enough batter over the scallions to bind them into a pancake, then scatter the chopped seafood (and chilli) evenly over the top, pressing in lightly.
- SCHRITT04
Cook until the underside is golden and crisp. Pour a beaten egg over the top, then carefully flip the pancake and cook the other side until crisp and the seafood is cooked, adding a little more oil around the edge.
- SCHRITT05
Slide onto a board, cut into pieces, and serve hot with the soy-vinegar dipping sauce — and a bowl of makgeolli, if you're doing it right.
Make ahead
Make the batter and dipping sauce and prep the scallions and seafood ahead. Fry the pajeon fresh to serve, since the crisp edges are the whole point. It comes together in minutes once everything is prepped — a great quick dish for guests.
Storage
Best hot and crisp from the pan. Leftovers keep a day and re-crisp in a hot pan or oven (not the microwave, which makes them soft). Prepped batter and chopped seafood keep separately in the fridge for a few hours; the dipping sauce keeps several days.
Variations
Pajeon (scallion only)
Leave out the seafood for a simple scallion pancake (pa-jeon).
Kimchijeon
Use chopped kimchi (and its juice) in the batter for a tangy, spicy kimchi pancake.
Dongnae pajeon
The famous Busan-style version, often richer with more seafood and a partly egg-set top.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Häufige Fragen
How do I make pajeon crispy?
Three things: a hot, generously oiled pan (pajeon is fried in more oil than a Western pancake), a fairly thin batter, and adding a little rice flour or potato starch to the wheat flour for extra crispness. Don't make the batter too thick or skimp on oil, and let each side cook undisturbed until properly golden and crisp before flipping.
What seafood should I use?
A mix is best — typically squid, shrimp and mussels (or clams), chopped into small pieces so they cook through quickly and the pancake holds together. Use whatever fresh or frozen mixed seafood you like; just chop it small and pat it dry. For a non-seafood version, leave it out for a plain scallion pajeon, or use kimchi.
Why pour an egg over it?
Pouring a beaten egg over the pancake (especially before flipping) helps bind everything, adds richness, and gives a lightly set, golden top — common in the heartier Busan (Dongnae) style. It's optional; some make pajeon without it. If you do, flip carefully so the egg sets against the hot pan and crisps.
What's the difference between pajeon and jeon?
Jeon is the broad Korean category of pan-fried, batter-coated savoury pancakes and fritters. Pajeon ('pa' = scallion) is the scallion pancake specifically, and haemul pajeon adds seafood (haemul). Other jeon include kimchijeon (kimchi), gamjajeon (potato) and bindaetteok (mung bean). They share the pan-fried, dip-in-sauce idea.
What do you drink with haemul pajeon?
Makgeolli — Korea's lightly sparkling, milky rice wine — is the traditional and beloved pairing, especially on a rainy day (there's a cultural association between rainy weather and eating pajeon with makgeolli). Soju or beer also work. The savoury, crisp pancake and the slightly sweet, tangy makgeolli are a classic match.
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