Kimchi Pancakes (김치전)

Growing up, I didn't eat the kind of pancakes that are considered the norm around here. Instead of the sweet, maybe fruit- or chocolate-filled, fluffy, Sunday-morning-brunch pancakes, my mom made us savory pancakes. There were two kinds that she always made: chives and kimchi. For some reason, I never was and still am not a fan of the chive pancakes. I was turned off by them as a kid and I guess I've just stuck with that feeling. It's probably also because kimchi pancakes are the best. Spicy and crunchy from the kimchi with crispy edges from pan-frying in oil. Actually, I remember sometimes eating just the edges and leaving the middle for my mom to finish. Teehe.



The batter sure doesn't look appetizing, but I promise it's great. This makes for a great side dish to your meat and rice dishes. Serve whole or cut them into pieces for easier picking and eating.



It's not often that I have kimchi in my fridge, so whenever I do, I always make this dish. I was sorely disappointed when I wanted to make kimchi a few weeks ago, but when I went to the market, I was greeted with signs saying that a freeze had caused a vegetable shortage. So I waited until last weekend to visit the market again. This time, they had the napa cabbage! They were smaller than before but it was better than nothing. My mom tasted my last batch and told me I was probably using too little salt and too little seasoning so I amped it up for this batch and it turned out so much better. Still haven't tried making homemade kimchi? Interested? Check out my post!



Kimchi Pancakes (김치전) 
From Maangchi

1 cup chopped kimchi
3 tbsp kimchi juice
2 tbsp chopped onion [I left this out]
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup water

In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients.

In a 12-inch pan, heat 2 tbsp oil at medium-high heat. Place the kimchi batter in the pan and spread the batter evenly and thinly. Let it cook for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is golden and crispy. Flip the pancake and let the other side cook for 2 minutes, or until golden and crispy.

Serve!