Quick ideas
Pajon (Korean spring onion pancakes)
This versatile vegetarian recipe has lots of ingredients, but there are many variations possible so you don't need them all. Make your pancakes out of what you have and skip what you don't. As well as what’s listed, you could add mushrooms, corn, asparagus, tofu, chicken or prawns. This is delicious served warm, but the taste is even better at room temperature. Make it for a summer lunch, with rice and perhaps spinach gomae. Or have it as a snack or canapé, cut it into small squares for dipping.
Ingredients
for the batter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 225g flour
- 1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
- 200ml water
for the dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
- 225ml soy sauce
- 1 heaped tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, bruised and finely chopped
for the filling
- oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- 10 large spring onions or 20 small ones, split lengthways and cut into pieces
- 1 courgette, cut into matchsticks
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 100g peeled cooked prawns
- handful of fresh chives, chopped
- 4 eggs, beaten
Method
First make the batter
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Step 1
mix the eggs with the flour, oil and enough water to make a medium-thick batter. Let it rest for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the filling ingredients and the dipping sauce.
To make the dipping sauce
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Step 1
mix all the ingredients.
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Step 2
To make the pancakes coat a large frying-pan with oil and heat. Ladle in a third of the batter. Lay about a third of the spring onions, courgettes, carrots, prawns and chives on the pancakes. Cook for about 5-7 minutes over a medium-hot heat.
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Step 3
As the pancake cooks, fill in the gaps between the vegetables with the some beaten egg. When the egg has set and the pancake is well-browned underneath, flip over. Don't worry if it breaks or tears as it will be torn into pieces before eating. Cook for a further 5-7 minutes. Pressing down with a spatula to ensure that the batter cooks through.
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Step 4
Remove from the frying-pan, drain on kitchen paper and either serve whole or cut into small squares. Use remaining ingredients to make another 2 pancakes. Serve with dipping sauce.
