Scallion Pancakes With Squid

The textures in this delicious recipe for pajeon, traditional Korean scallion-based pancakes, are manifold: meaty from the squid, crunchy yielding to soft from the fried bits of batter, juicy from the scallion. It came to The Times from Hooni Kim, the chef at Hanjan in Manhattan. One of the secrets to this pancake is waiting for the oil to heat up before mixing the batter. That way, the batter doesn’t sit around and turn gluey. Eat them as hot as you can without burning your fingers. The risk is worth it.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 6 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mirin
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Korean denjang (fermented soybean paste) or Japanese red miso paste
• 1 tablespoon grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 1 egg yolk
• Grapeseed or vegetable oil, for frying
• 200 grams rice flour (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 150 grams all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 4 grams baking powder (about 1/2 teaspoon)
• 1 pound squid, cleaned and cut into 1/2-inch rings
• 2 bunches whole scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    884 calories; 49 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 32 grams polyunsaturated fat; 79 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 28 grams protein; 310 milligrams cholesterol; 1125 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 servings

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, prepare the dipping sauce. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of the rice wine vinegar and mirin. Set aside.
2. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, the remaining 4 teaspoons rice wine vinegar, denjang or miso paste, garlic, ginger, egg yolk, 1 cup of water and mix well.
3. Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat with 1/4-inch grapeseed or vegetable oil. The oil should be hot, but not smoking, about 325 degrees.
4. In a large bowl, mix the rice flour, all-purpose flour and baking powder. Add the squid and scallions and toss to combine. Pour in the denjang mixture and stir until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
5. Carefully spoon half of the batter into the hot pan and fry until the bottom is golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until crispy and cooked through. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels so oil can drain. Repeat with the second half of the batter. Cut pancakes in quarters and serve with the dipping sauce.

20 minutes