Savory Pancakes
Kkaennip-jeon (Perilla Leaf Fritters)
Pat the perilla leaves dry, dust them lightly with flour, dip them in beaten egg, and pan-fry over medium-low heat. The leaves have a strong aroma, so serve them with vinegar soy dipping sauce.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Wash the perilla leaves and pat them completely dry. Beat the eggs with the salt.
If the leaves are wet, the flour won't stick well.
- 2
Lightly dust the front of each leaf with flour, tapping off the excess.
- 3
Add the oil to a pan and heat over medium-low heat for 1 minute.
- 4
Dip a leaf in the egg, lay it in the pan, and cook for 1 minute 30 seconds per side, flipping once, until golden. Repeat with the rest.
If the heat is too high, the leaves burn before the egg sets.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| all-purpose flour | 3 Tbsp Korean pancake mix (buchim-garu) | Pancake mix is already seasoned, so use less salt in the egg. |
| perilla leaves | 5 mild green chili peppers | Halve the peppers, remove the seeds, dust with flour, and fry the same way. |
Storing leftovers
Once cool, the egg coating turns soggy and the perilla aroma fades. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 1 day; reheat in a pan over low heat for 1 minute per side until hot in the center. Freezing makes the leaves tough, so don't freeze them.
Serve with
Rice, janchi-guksu (warm noodle soup), and donggeurangttaeng. Serve them together on a jeon platter.
Making more or less
If you make more pancakes, beat more eggs too.
Questions
Why does the egg coating slip off my perilla leaf pancakes?
The coating lifts if the leaves are still damp or the flour is too thick. Dry the leaves completely, tap off the flour so only a thin layer remains, and once a leaf is in the pan, leave it alone until the bottom sets, then flip it only once.
More with the same ingredients
