Vegetable Pancake (Yachaejeon) 

Yachaejeon translates to vegetable pancake. “Yachae” means vegetables and “Jeon” refers to food that are battered and pan fried. Some of my other “jeon”  recipes include Seafood Pancake , Garlic Chive Pancake and Pan Fried Zucchini.

This is a great recipe to make when you have vegetables to use up. I added carrots, zucchini, sweet potato, onion, green onion and chili peppers. I grated the carrots, zucchini and sweet potato but you can slice the vegetables into thin matchsticks. Other vegetables that can be added are mushrooms, leeks, chives, cabbage, or bell peppers. 

For the batter,  I added potato starch ( or use corn starch) which helps with a crispier texture but you can omit the starch and add 1 cup of all purpose flour instead.  You can also use gluten free flour or any of your favorite flour combination.

The ratio of flour to water is 1 to 1 so adjust as needed based on the number of pancakes you’re making. If the batter looks too runny after you mix in the vegetables, either add more vegetables or mix in 1-2 Tablespoons of flour as needed. 

This recipe yields 2 pancakes using a 10-12 inch pan. The pancake can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Cook the pancake as directed. Once cooled, wrap the pancake in foil and place in the fridge. When ready to serve, pan fry for a few minutes on each side until warm, then cut into bite sized pieces.

The vegetable pancake is served with a simple dipping sauce which can also be stored in the fridge for up to a week. 

Serves: 2

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 2 voted )

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Ingredients

Vegetables ( total: 4-5 cups of sliced vegetables) 

• 1 small or 1/2 large carrot (1 cup) grated or thinly sliced into matchsticks 
• 1/2 onion, thinly sliced 
• 1 small sweet potato (3/4 cup), grated or thinly sliced 
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced 
• 2 chili peppers (Korean, jalapeño, serrano), thinly sliced
• 1 small zucchini (1 cup), grated or thinly sliced 

Batter 

• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch, potato starch or rice flour 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 cup water
• Neutral oil to pan fry (I used grape seed oil) 

Dipping Sauce 

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar 
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil 
• 1 teaspoon sugar or honey 
• Optional: sesame seeds or minced garlic
• Optional spice: gochugaru ( Korean red pepper flakes) 

Instructions

Slice or grate vegetables and set aside.

In a large bowl, add the flour, corn/ potato starch,  salt, and water and mix well.  Add the vegetables and mix well to coat the vegetables with the batter. 

Heat about 2 Tablespoons of oil in a non stick pan. Depending on your pan size, add more or less to coat the bottom  of the pan. 

Working in 2 batches,  spread half the vegetable batter evenly onto the pan. For a crispy texture, spread the batter as thin as possible. 

Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat or until the bottom crust is lightly browned, gently pressing down with a spatula.  (If adding sweet potato, cover for a few minutes, then cook uncovered to get it crispy) 

Flip over the pancake.  Add about 1-2 Tablespoons of oil around the edges and lift the sides of the pancake with a spatula  for the oil to coat the pan under the pancake.   Cook for about 5 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned, pressing down with a spatula. 

Flip over again and continue to cook for a few minutes on each side until the pancake is browned to your liking.  

While the pancake is cooking, make the dipping sauce in a small bowl. 

Once the first batch is done, wipe the pan clean with a paper towel  if needed. Repeat the cooking process with the remaining half of the batter.

Slice pancakes into bite sized pieces and enjoy with the dipping sauce!

Did You Make This Recipe?

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