One of the most popular Korean dishes is the Kimchi Pancake. Late night snack, savory breakfast, craveable side dish, this kimchi pancake does it all! This is peak Korean comfort food. One bite and you’ll see why, its crispy perfection will have you making this over and over again. The fact that it’s so quick and easy is an added bonus. Provided you always have kimchi on hand (and you should!), a delectable kimchi pancake is just minutes away!

It Starts with Kimchi

Homemade or store bought, kimchi is a pantry essential. Having a jar in your fridge means you can whip up kimchi rice, Korean dumplings, or these popular Ramen Hack noodles whenever hunger strikes. Because kimchi is a fermented food, it just gets better with age. Funkier, spicier, and ready to lend its explosive flavor and bright red color to an endless parade of dishes. So if you have a jar that has been sitting in the fridge for a while, a kimchi pancake is the perfect vehicle to use it up.

Making A Kimchi Pancake

Making kimchijeon is really easy, but it does absolutely require a nonstick pan. Or a really well seasoned cast iron one. And a little more oil than you may be used to. The oil gives the kimchi pancake its heavenly crunch and makes it easier to flip. You can absolutely make smaller ones but I like the more dramatic presentation of one big kimchi pancake, and getting to devour it as soon as its done.

Start by trimming the scallions and cutting them into four pieces.

You may notice there’s just a scant amount of flour for a pancake recipe. Kimchi is the star of the show, and the flour just plays a supporting role. I add just enough water to hold it all together. This is a very thick, and sticky, batter.

Preheat your pan before adding the oil. You don’t want the oil to smoke and get bitter, plus you want a hot pan so the kimchi pancake gets nice and crispy.

I add more oil when I lift the pancake to flip it, and still more oil while the other side is cooking. The oil is essential, it helps everything crisp up and hold together and release from the pan. The batter is very sticky, even a nonstick pan needs that oil.

I tend to serve this Kimchi Pancake as a snack, but you could easily turn it into a meal. Serve with some quick  banchan like Spicy Bean Sprouts and Lemon Zucchini for a satisfying, Korean inspired dinner.

Whip up my Kimchi Pancake this weekend, and let me know what you think. Rate and comment on the recipe below, and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Kimchi Pancake

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 22 minutes
• Yield: serves 2-3 1x
• Category: small plates
• Cuisine: Korean

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Ingredients

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• 3 scallions
• ½ pound (8 ounces) napa cabbage kimchi, chopped into small pieces
• 3 ounces shrimp (I used small 51-60 size), about ⅓ cup
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4–8 Tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

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Instructions

1. Trim the scallions and cut them into 4 pieces. Put it into a bowl. 
2. Add the kimchi, shrimp, salt, sugar, sesame oil, flour, and water (Start with 4 Tablespoons and add more water if needed. Depending on the amount of kimchi juice you have, how dry your shrimp was when you put it in, and the humidity level of the flour, you will need more or less water) in a medium bowl and mix well with a spoon. Use only as much water as needed to pick up all of the flour. You should have a thick sticky batter.
3. Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet (it’s better to use a bigger one if needed but do not use a smaller one as your pancake will be too thick and not cook through) over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
4. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon or a spatula to make a large circle.
5. Cook until the bottom is golden brown and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes.
6. Pick up the pancake with a spatula and pour another tablespoon of oil in the center of the pan. Carefully turn the pancake over with a large spatula (you can also slide the pancake out onto a plate and then flip it back into the pan). 
7. Then drizzle another Tablespoon of oil around the edge of the pancake.
8. Use the spatula to tuck in any loose shrimp and keep the circle tidy. Also press gently on the pancake to ensure that all parts are touching the pan.
9. Cook the pancake until the bottom of the pancake is also golden brown and crisp, another 3 to 4 minutes.
10. Flip the pancake one more time and cook for an additional minute to really crisp that side.
11. Slide the pancake onto a large serving platter and serve immediately.

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Notes

*You can use any size shrimp, dicing it if necessary. You can also make this without shrimp if you prefer.

*It’s important to use a non-stick skillet or a very well seasoned pan as the pancake has a tendency to stick. Even with the non-stick skillet, you will need to use the generous amount of oil stated to get that crispy, crunchy exterior.

Keywords: kimchi, pancake, korean, kimchijeon, shrimp, korean snacks,

Bulgogi is addictive. There’s no other way to say it. Besides kimchi, it is probably Korea’s most popular culinary export, and for good reason. Slightly charred sweet and salty meat should be a food group all its own. Plus there’s the fun communal aspect of bulgogi. If you’re lucky enough to live near a Korean BBQ restaurant, it’s common to have tabletop grills where everyone cooks their own meat. And the wide variety of banchan, or little side dishes typically served with bulgogi, means there’s a wide variety of textures and flavors to play with. There are an endless variety of Bulgogi recipes, and this one is mine. It’s fast and streamlined without sacrificing one drop of the addictive flavor.

Bulgogi Marinade

A bulgogi marinade is a perfect balance of sweet and salty. And I’ve seen so many “secret” ingredients used to achieve this; all different kinds of fruits, and even Coca-Cola.  I use pear because it’s readily available. Asian pear is great if you can find it. Pineapple and kiwi is also frequently used. The enzymes in the fruit help to make the beef really tender.

Bulgogi Beef

Koreans marinate lots of meats for the grill like chicken or pork, but beef is king. And for Bulgogi, ribeye is commonly used because it’s so tender and flavorful, but tenderloin and sirloin make good choices too. The meat is shaved or sliced very thinly. This allows it to both absorb the marinade and cook very quickly. I usually buy beef that has already been sliced to save time. If you are slicing it yourself, freeze the meat for about a half hour. That will make it easier to get very thin slices.

The beef only needs to marinate for a half hour. You can use that time to prepare some banchans. Some really quick ones you could include are:

• Korean Bean Sprouts
• Lemon Zucchini
• Spicy Tofu

Of course no Bulgogi spread would be complete without kimchi and rice. Now that you have some delicious sides ready, it’s time to cook the beef. Bulgogi actually means ‘fire meat’, and grilling it is traditional. But a grill or sauté pan works well too.

The beef will cook really quickly. We like it on the rarer side, so it’s done in just a couple minutes. Serve it with your sides and also some lettuce leaves to make little rice/kimchi/bulgogi tacos!

Try this beloved dish this weekend, and let me know what you think. Rate and comment on the recipe below and tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!

Bulgogi

• Author: Funky Asian Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: serves 3-4 1x
• Category: Main
• Cuisine: Korean

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Ingredients

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• 1 pound thin sliced or shaved rib eye, sirloin, or tenderloin
• 1 scallion minced
• 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

Marinade:

• 1 small pear*
• ¼ large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon peeled minced ginger
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt

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Instructions

1. Quarter and core the pear. Add it to a blender cup. Add the garlic, ginger, onion, soy sauce, salt, and brown sugar. Blend until smooth.
2. Place the beef in a bowl and pour the marinade over it. Add the sesame oil, scallion, and black pepper. Using clean hands, mix to combine and evenly coat the beef with the marinade.
3. Set aside for 30 minutes.
4. Heat a pan over medium high heat for several minutes. Add the beef and leave for 1 minute and then stir. Cook, stirring occasionally for 1-3 mins until the meat is cooked to your liking. (If cooking at the table, you can do this in batches rather than cooking it all at once.)
5. Eat it either directly from the pan if cooking at the table or transfer the meat to a plate and serve.

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Notes

*you can use regular bartlett or bosc pear in addition to an asian pear. I’ve also used fresh pineapple and kiwi with good results. 

*you can make bulgogi either in a grill pan, in a regular saute pan, or on a korean bbq grill. If you plan on cooking it outside on a grill, use a perforated pan to keep the meat from falling through the grate.

Keywords: bulgogi, beef bulgogi, korean, korean bbq, banchan