In recognition of the fact it is National Vegetarian Week, I thought I would try to create something a little special, possibly a little unusual, for all of my veggie friends out there. Influenced by my love of Korean food, I have created a dish that would satisfy both vegetarians and fellow chilli fans alike.
This dish would be perfect as a starter or a quick lunch. The good news is these Korean style pancakes could be prepared in advance and re-heated at the last minute, in the oven. I wouldn’t recommend microwaving these crisp savoury pancakes, they require a warm crunch would only an oven could provide.
The interesting thing about this recipe is that the bean sprouts are boiled before being briefly stir fried. I had tried this method out before, in another Korean inspired dish. I noticed how tasty the bean sprouts were and this surprised me. I though boiling bean sprouts would make them become waterlogged and flabby but they are absolutely fine, honestly.
I serve these moreish little bites with my very popular chilli sauce, made in batches regularly at How to cook good food. If you love Sriracha, then this is the sauce for you.
Also, if you are a keen cook then you might like to enter my current giveaway. It is to win a Froothie 9200 Optimum power blender RRP £429. HERE is the link to enter.
I am linking my Korean style pancakes to:
Meat Free Mondays – Tinned Tomatoes
Extra Veg – Veggie Desserts, Fuss Free Flavours, Utterly Scrummy
Credit Crunch Munch – Baking Queen, Fab Food 4 All, Fuss Free Flavours
Here are a few more Korean veggie recipes you might like:
Kimchi quinoa burgers – Food to Glow
Gochujang spiced dumplings – Franglais Kitchen
Kale Kimchi – Zen Kimchi
Kimchi porridge – Aeri’s Kitchen
Braised tofu – Crazy Korean cooking
Royal Korean Food – Fuss Free Flavours
Korean Style Pancakes with Spicy Fried Beansprouts
These pancakes make a perfect spicy starter
Ingredients
- For the pancakes:-
- 150 g plain flour
- salt & pepper
- 1 garlic crushed
- 1 bunch spring onions chopped into 2 inch segments and sliced in half
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1/2 bunch coriander roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp crushed chillies
- 100 ml water
- oil for frying the pancakes
- For the bean sprouts:-
- 1 bag bean sprouts
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp crushed chillies
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 1/2 bunch coriander roughly chopped
- salt & pepper
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- -For the pancakes:-
- Mix all of the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl (apart from onions)
- Measure the water then add to the dry ingredients and whisk well
- Fold in the onions
- Heat some oil in a medium or large frying pan over a medium high heat
- Add spoonfuls of the batter and fry over a medium heat until both sides are golden brown (about 5 minutes)
- Remove from the pan and place in a low oven until ready to serve
- For the bean sprouts:-
- Bring a large saucepan to the boil with hot water then add the bean sprouts and cook for 4 minutes
- Drain the bean sprouts
- Heat the sesame oil in a medium saucepan then add the garlic and chilli to the pan and fry until the garlic turns light golden brown
- Add in the spring onions followed by the bean sprouts, salt & pepper and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes before adding in the coriander and cooking for one more minute
- Remove from the heat and place a handful of bean sprouts on top of the warm pancakes
- Garnish them with a splash of chilli sauce, sesame seeds and serve
You’ve taken kimchi jeon to another level! As a fellow kimchi-head I also make similar pancakes but with shredded carrot, which now seems quite pedestrian. I really like the beansprout up grade. I didn’t realise that about the boiling. Top tip! I think these might go with the Japanese-influenced spring onion recipe I just posted. 🙂
I noticed your spring onion recipe Kellie and thought this was a perfect match for it. We have very similar tastes!
Love these healthy and oh so tasty Korean style pancakes and agree that microwaves are bad news with wheat products as they just go flabby! Thanks for entering #CreditCrunchMunch;-)
True Camilla, nothing worse than soggy foods!
These look absolutely gorgeous! I’ve never heard of boiling beansprouts, will have to try that one!
Yes, I have been surprise by this Becca too, but they hold up well!
These pancakes look and sound delicious I especially like that they have the bite from the chilli, that’s right up my street I love spice in y food.
I agree Nanya, love spice in food and chilli adds a lovely hit of flavour 🙂
These look awesome – will definitely be bookmarking these! I don’t know a lot about Korean food (except Kimchi and Korean style barbeque!) Thanks for suggesting other korean recipes too 🙂
Delicious looking crispy pancakes. I’d have thought the same about boiling beansprouts too so that’s handy to know.
Thanks Jen, the pancakes also re-hat very well the following day. Even more crisp and tasty!
These pancakes look amazing and I think I could attempt this recipe! Have always thought Korean food would be too complicated for some reason. Love the sound of the flavours together.
Hi Lucy, the pancakes are no more complicated than regular pancakes. Well worth a try!
These look incredible! I loved the Korean food we had at FBC last year and it’s a cuisine I want to try more of!
I am lucky to have lots of good Korean restaurants and food shops near me so I can even buy lovely Korean food ready made and it isn’t very expensive either. Next up I need to get kimchi making!
Oh I love the look of these! Have very little idea about Korean food but this looks fantastic. Interesting about the bean sprouts – like you, I would have imagined boiling would not improve them – but now I feel compelled to try!
I am sure you would love Korean food Jeanne. It is very diverse and so tasty yet not too heavy. I hope you get to sample Korean food soon, I would recommend the bbq meats to start 🙂
What a gorgeous recipe, and the photographs are fabulous, I’m always impressed with your clever and creative ideas, these just look and sound so tempting.
Thanks Jude, I did enjoy photographing these pancakes, and eating them!
I love these! So interesting to boil the bean sprouts first, too. I’ll have to try these Korean pancakes. Thanks for linking up to #ExtraVeg!
Thanks Kate, hope you try them sometime!
Laura these sound SOOO good! love pancakes and am absolutely have to try this out one evening as they look so moreish!
Oh gawd, I’m in! I’m having a month off eating all nightshades, and I’m finding I’m missing chillis and tomatoes the most. I’m a bit surprised at how often I go to reach for the dried flakes, the hot sauce or the fresh chillis in my fridge 🙁
Janie x
Oh that is bought Janie, poor you!