I’ve been trying to get this post for Korean Pancakes Gamjajeon out all day! ‘Coz the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Pyeongchang is in the Gangwon Province of South Korea, dominated by the Taebaek Mountains.
Korean Pancakes, Gamjajeon 감자전
Since I’m all about the food, you know I had to look up what foods are traditional to Pyeongchang; I just thought it would be fun to explore the culture and I was pretty psyched (potatoes are a comfort food for me) when I found that potatoes were one of the mainstay foods in the area. That makes sense to me because of the mountains; after all, the potato originated and has been grown for umpteen centuries in the mountains of Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.
About Korean Pancakes Gamjajeon:
And hey, I love potato pancakes. I have never had one of any kind that I’d turn down. So it stands to reason that I’d love these Korean Pancakes, too. I would describe Korean Pancakes as being kind of a cross between a crunchy latke and a creamy potato cake, only a little more refined.
The outside of the pancakes are golden brown and crispy and the inside is soft and pillowy. The plain old potato shines here, flavored with a touch of onion and a good sprinkle of salt.
Serving:
I served my Korean pancakes with my Favorite Asian Dipping Sauce; it is an unusual pairing but it is fabulous all the same. I love that sauce; I mix up a jar and keep it in the fridge and it just gets better and better. The only thing I did differently was to add a few sesame seeds after I portioned some out into small dipping bowls.
Korean pancakes would go great with a nice herb salad on the side. Just say “no” to sour cream or cheese sauce! In case you were tempted. Or maybe that’s just me…yeah, it’s really tempting. My kids would probably have preferred ketchup or ranch. What can I say? I tried to buck the system with them; it didn’t take.
My Favorite Asian Dipping Sauce
Making Korean Pancakes Gamjajeon:
These can be made in a larger size, as large as you’d like. I particularly like these smaller “appetizer” sized versions – they maximize the crispiness. They’re easy to make and easy to handle when turning and can be shuffled around in the pan for even browning.
One potato will make three small appetizer-sized pancakes using a heaping tablespoon or so of batter, or one larger pancake about 3/8ths of an inch thick. Count on a potato per person plus one for the pan (that’s the old Irish way of determining how many potatoes are needed for almost any dish) unless you have eaters that will want more. And you might, they’re that good! If this is a main dish you will probably want to double the recipe.
Korean Pancakes can be made in several ways, but usually, you’ll see the easy method (the first one) and IMHO, the better method (the second one.) You’ll either:
- Finely grate the potatoes, mixing in a little flour or cornstarch. That “batter” is formed into “cakes” and fried in oil.
- Finely grate potatoes and blend with a little water; strain over a bowl. The liquid from the potatoes settles, leaving potato starch on the bottom. The excess water is drained off and the starch then gets mixed with the potatoes to make the “batter.”
The first method produces a loosely formed pancake with distinct gratings of potato and more closely resembles a latke. The grated potato on the outside of the pancake crisps up to a golden brown.
The second method is a little more refined (and is what is shown in my photos) and the potato is broken down down in the blender. The cake is more cohesive, the inside soft and creamy, and the outside more evenly browned.
Korean Pancakes, Gamjajeon 감자전
Flavor Options:
There are endless variations to be made from these basic potato pancakes, but today I wanted to turn out a simple, homestyle version made with delicious but everyday basic ingredients. The onion and the touch of lemon in this pancake add flavor and prevent the potato from oxidizing and turning brown. Then there’s a little salt just because.
You might find Korean pancakes made with garlic, scallions, garlic chives, chili peppers (fresh and dried), and vegetables like zucchini. Undoubtedly, you may find recipes for pancakes that include cheese, too. It’s said that cheese was introduced to Korea by American soldiers during World War Two, so a potato cheese combination is not a long-standing traditional version. That doesn’t mean they’re any less delish.
Storing and Reheating:
Korean pancakes are best eaten immediately after they’re made.
If it’s necessary to save leftovers, refrigerate uncovered until cold (to help prevent any condensation) then cover. Reheat in a warm, nonstick skillet or on a sheet tray in a 350 F. oven to re-crisp.
Saving Money on Korean Pancakes Gamjajeon:
The bulk of the cost is the potatoes, so shop well for them. The onion is minimal.
Potatoes:
- No matter where you buy your potatoes, carefully inspect bags of potatoes before buying to make sure they are all sound and show no signs of damage or other issues. Once home, remove them from any plastic bags or wrapping and put them in a well-ventilated bag; a brown paper grocery bag with the top turned down is ideal. Store potatoes in a cool, dark, well-ventilated space away from onions.
- At the grocery store, watch for sale prices, which often happen before holidays. If not on sale, as a general rule, pick up larger bags of potatoes. The larger bags will be at the best per-pound pricing. Usually, these larger bags have a mix of sizes. Set the bigger more uniform potatoes aside for items like baked potatoes where size matters and use the smaller and oddly shaped ones for other recipes where size isn’t important.
- Discount grocers like Aldi and Lidl usually have the best overall pricing. Buyer clubs will have some of the best-looking quality potatoes but don’t usually beat out the pricing at your discount store or a grocery store sale price.
- You may find wrapped packages of three to four large evenly sized bakers at any of the above stores. The pricing is not generally great, even on sale.
Onions:
All the same buying and storing principles that apply to potatoes apply to onions. If only using a partial onion, store well wrapped in the fridge door where it is easily spotted.
Korean Pancakes, Gamjajeon 감자전
Korean Pancakes, Gamjajeon 감자전
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized potatoes, peeled & chunked
- 1/4 of a white or yellow onion, peeled and chunked
- water, about 1/2 cup
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice (not traditional but limits discoloration)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Oil for pan, enough for about 1/4 inch deep
Instructions
Place potato chunks and onion in a blender or food processor, with enough to get the machine going. Process until finely broken down. Add lemon juice and pulse in.
Place mixture in a sieve over a bowl, making sure bowl is deep enough so there’s about two inches room between the bottom of the strainer and bowl. Cover the top of the potatoes with a little paper towel or plastic wrap.
Let potato mixture drain for 10 to 15 minutes. When ready to cook, remove the strainer and slowly dump out the liquid in the bottom of the bowl, leaving the thicker, starchier mixture behind Add potato mixture and salt to the starchier mixture left behind in the bowl.
Heat pan until oil is shimmering. Add potato mixture, using 1/4 of it for a larger potato pancake or in heaping tablespoons for appetizer size. Gently press down to about 3/8ths of an inch thick. Cook until golden brown before turning. Take your time and turn the heat down a bit if needed; the entire cooking process should take about 10 minutes.
To turn the larger pancakes, loosen with a thin spatula, quickly drain off excess oil into a small bowl (you’ll add it back in), place a plate over the skillet, and turn over skillet and plate together.
Put the skillet back on the heat, add the oil back in and slide the pancake back in to finish cooking. When finished, drain on paper towels or a paper bag. Serve hot with dipping sauce.
Notes:
- Potatoes and onions may be finely hand-grated for a looser more free form latke type of a pancake. In this case, skip the blender and straining. Squeeze the grated potato in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture, place in a bowl and add about a heaping tablespoon of cornstarch along with the lemon juice and salt.
- May use multiple pans if desired, so pancakes are all done at once.
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I’ll post this guest post to Fiesta Friday 210, hosted by Laurena @ Life Diet Health and Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook.
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