Alan and I first experienced kimchi pancakes in South Korea, where each pancake is roughly the size of a plate and they can serve as an alternative to bread with your dinner, or as your dinner! Since then, I’ve been looking for a place that serves them here in the U.S. but have never found anything quite so unique and crispy. Nevertheless, by scrounging online and experimenting, I’ve come up with a version that may not compare with the “real deal” but works for those of us who don’t know better or can’t do better! I also wrote to a South Korean girlfriend for her recipe, which I’ll include after mine, so you’ll have an authentic version to try as well. One way or another, here are a couple of options for how to give your breakfast menu a little Asian flair! Kimchi pancakes can be served as the entire meal, or you can supplement them with eggs and sausage . . . or whatever else strikes your fancy!
Kimchi Pancakes
(Makes six 4-5″ pancakes)
In a mixing bowl, combine:
One 16-jar kimchi: Place juice in mixing bowl and chop kimchi into small chunks before adding
1 cup finely chopped green onions
1 large egg
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional; kimchi is a little hot already, so test it)
1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix together, allowing sugar and salt to dissolve, then add
2 cups all-purpose flour and blend together just until mixed
Heat a griddle to 350°F. and butter well
Add 3-4 spoonfuls of mixture per pancake to make 6-8 pancakes
Fry in butter until the edges start to turn crispy
Flip and fry another 3 minutes or until golden brown
Serve hot with ample supplies of butter and sour cream or Greek yogurt. (This is the American version which seems more like “pancakes” as we know them; the Koreans eat them plain and sometimes torn in pieces. We shared a couple of pancakes with an entire family as an hors d’oeuvre in South Korea.)
Here’s the “real deal” from my girlfriend, E.J. Magnuson. To know her is to love her, and I do! She’s a great friend and loves the Lord with all her heart! Thanks, EJ!!
“Hey girlfriend ~ You just have to come to Korea for that. Haha. Each person makes differently but for me… Use 2 cups of Korean pancake mix 1 cup of kimchi ( must be aged, sour taste, finely chopped and squeezed) 1/4 cup thinly sliced onion 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tsp sugar (brown sugar) Optional protein (Thinly sliced ham, bacon, or lunch meat) 2 cup water Oil *Mix everything but pancake mix and water *add pancake mix *add water But do not over mix, to prevent becoming gluten. Mixture should be slightly runny. * in a pan, with med-high heat, add 3-4 tbs oil, when heated, pour one ladle full of mixture. Flip only once. Each side should be golden brown. Enjoy~”
“Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you. I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end” (Daniel 6:24-26).
Summer Setting 