Foodily

May 21, 2021
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These pancakes, which take inspiration from Korean pajeon, get their light texture from a batter made with club soda, similar to tempura batter. Pressing hard on them when frying makes them crisp, as does the inclusion of cornstarch. The scallions are left in big pieces so they get charred on the edges of the pancake while remaining soft and tender inside.

Ingredients

Makes 4 Pancakes

Sauce

½” piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced

Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce

Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar

tsp. chili oil

tsp. sugar

Pancakes and Assembly

cup all-purpose flour

cup cornstarch

tsp. kosher salt

tsp. sugar

cup chilled club soda

tsp. low-sodium soy sauce

tsp. toasted sesame oil

scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal (about 2 cups)

Tbsp. vegetable oil

Preparation

Sauce

Step 1

Whisk ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil, and sugar in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set sauce aside.
pancakes and Assembly

Step 2

Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk club soda, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl to combine, then pour into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth (be careful not to overmix; it’s okay if there are a few small lumps). Fold in scallions.

Step 3

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high. Pour ¼ cup batter into skillet. Cook, moving pan around on the burner for even cooking, until bottom of pancake is set and golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook, pressing down on pancake to create direct contact with pan, until other side is golden, about 1 minute. Continue cooking, turning often to keep scallions from burning, until golden brown and crisp and cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer pancake to a wire rack. Repeat process with remaining batter and remaining 3 Tbsp. oil 3 more times to make a total of 4 pancakes.

Step 4

Cut each pancake into wedges if desired and serve with reserved sauce on the side for dipping.