Haemul Pajeon

Haemul Pajeon (Korean Seafood Scallion Pancake)

A classic Korean seafood and scallion pancake, crisp at the edges and tender within, traditionally paired with makgeolli on rainy days.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •120 g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
• •20 g (2 tbsp) cornstarch or sweet rice flour (chapssal-garu), helps crispness; rice flour is more traditional
• •180 ml (¾ cup) cold water, ice-cold water gives a crisper pancake
• •1 whole large egg
• •200 g (7 oz) scallions, about 1 large bunch, trimmed
• •100 g (3½ oz) cleaned squid, body sliced into rings, tentacles left whole
• •100 g (3½ oz) peeled prawns, deveined, tails left on if liked
• •100 g (3½ oz) small clams (palaru or littlenecks), scrubbed; substitute mussels if unavailable
• •salt, ½
• •ground black pepper, ¼
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil (rice bran or vegetable), for frying, plus extra as needed
• •60 ml (¼ cup) soy sauce, for dipping sauce
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) rice vinegar, for dipping sauce
• •5 g (1 tsp) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), for dipping sauce, adjust to taste
• •15 g (1 tbsp) minced scallion, for dipping sauce
• •2 g (1 clove) minced garlic, for dipping sauce
• •2 g (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds, for dipping sauce, optional

Steps

1. 1 Make the dipping sauce: whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, minced scallion, garlic, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. 2 Prepare seafood: pat squid rings, prawns, and scrubbed clams thoroughly dry with paper towels. The drier they are, the better the batter adheres and crisps. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper.
3. 3 Trim scallions: cut off root ends and any wilted tips. Leave small scallions whole; halve lengthwise if thick. Pat dry.
4. 4 Make batter: whisk flour, cornstarch/rice flour, remaining salt and pepper, the egg, and cold water in a bowl until just smooth with no lumps. Do not overmix; a slightly loose, pancake-like batter is correct. It should coat a spoon but still flow.
5. 5 Heat a 25–30 cm (10–12 in) non-stick or well-seasoned skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and swirl to coat.
6. 6 Dip each scallion in batter to coat, then lay them across the pan in a single layer, alternating directions, until the pan is filled in a neat lattice. Add more batter if needed to coat them well.
7. 7 Tuck seafood into and over the scallions: distribute squid rings, prawns, and clams evenly. Press gently so the batter clings. Ladle a thin layer of remaining batter over the top to bind everything.
8. 8 Cook 3–4 minutes until the underside is deep golden and crisp. Lift an edge with a spatula to check color.
9. 9 Flip carefully: loosen the edges, slide the pancake onto a large plate, invert the pan over it, and flip in one confident motion. (Alternatively, flip in the pan if skilled.)
10. 10 Add 1 tbsp oil around the edges, return to medium heat, and cook the second side another 3–4 minutes until deeply golden, the egg in the batter is fully set, squid is opaque and rubbery-not-translucent, prawns are curled and pink (internal temp 63 °C / 145 °F), and clams have opened. Discard any clams that remain closed.
11. 11 Slide onto a cutting board, let rest 1 minute, then cut into squares. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.
12. 12 Safety note for raw seafood risk: if you wish to eat any portion of the seafood less than fully cooked, freeze the squid and prawns at -20 °C (-4 °F) for at least 7 days (or -35 °C / -31 °F for 15+ hours) before use to destroy parasites. With this recipe's full cooking times, parasites are eliminated by heat; the freezing step is required only if you shorten the cook.