If you’ve wondered what to do with the leftover veg that’s been accumulating in your fridge, I’d like to introduce you to Yachaejeon. In Korean, “yachae” means vegetable and “jeon” means pancake and it’s exactly that, a thin savoury vegetable pancake that is served with a lip-smacking dipping sauce and happens to be naturally vegan.

Although not traditional, I love adding some miso to the simple flour and water based batter to add a subtle layer of umami. Instead of miso, you can of course also add doenjang, a Korean fermented soybean paste.

serves 2

Ingredients for Yachaejeon

Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp rice vinegar

• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean pepper powder)

• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Veg

• 1/2 courgette

• 1/2 large carrot

• 1/2 potato

• 1/2 onion

• 1 green chilli 

• 1 mushroom

• 5 spring onions

Batter

• 130g bread flour

• 180 ml water

• 1 tbsp soy bean paste or miso

• Oil for frying

How to make Yachaejeon

Start with the dipping sauce. Just combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar and gochugaru. Toast the sesame seeds until golden, let them cool off and add to the sauce.

Cut the courgette and carrot halves in half again. Then julienne the courgette, carrot and potato. Peel and finely slice the onion, thinly slice the mushroom and chilli and cut the spring onions into large 3-5 cm pieces. Then transfer the veg to a bowl and toss to mix.

Combine the bread flour, water and miso along with 1/2 tsp salt and whisk well. Then mix the veg through the batter until everything is evenly coated.

Heat some oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add half of the mixture. Add this point, the batter might only fill about half of the pan, but use a spatula to flatten the veg until you have formed a thin even pancake. This is key, as a thick pancake will steam rather than fry and might not cook through in the centre. As the veg cooks and softens, it’ll be easier to spread out, so keep going. Fry the pancake for 4-5 minutes or until golden (gently lift one side with a spatula to peek underneath), then shake the pan to loosen it. Now confidently flip the pancake in one smooth motion. Drizzle some more oil around the sides, flatten the pancake even further with the spatula and fry for another 4-5 min until golden on the other side. Then transfer it to a board, cut it into squares and serve it with the dipping sauce.

Yachaejeon (Korean Vegetable Pancakes)

Yachaejeon, a beloved Korean vegetable pancake, is a delightful dish that combines a variety of fresh, colorful vegetables in a crispy, savory batter. This popular Korean recipe is perfect for anyone seeking a delicious, easy-to-make meal that's packed with flavour and nutrition. Yachaejeon is often enjoyed as an appetiser, side dish, or even a light main course. It's also a great way to use up any leftover vegetables you might have in the fridge.

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Active Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Course Lunch

Cuisine Korean

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

Dipping Sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean pepper powder)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Veg

• 1/2 courgette
• 1/2 large carrot
• 1/2 potato
• 1/2 onion
• 1 green chilli
• 1 mushroom
• 5 spring onions

Batter

• 130 g bread flour
• 180 ml water
• 1 tbsp soy bean paste or miso
• Oil for frying

Instructions

 

• Start with the dipping sauce. Just combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar and gochugaru. Toast the sesame seeds until golden, let them cool off and add to the sauce.
• Cut the courgette and carrot halves in half again. Then julienne the courgette, carrot and potato. Peel and finely slice the onion, thinly slice the mushroom and chilli and cut the spring onions into large 3-5 cm pieces. Then transfer the veg to a bowl and toss to mix.
• Combine the bread flour, water and miso along with 1/2 tsp salt and whisk well. Then mix the veg through the batter until everything is evenly coated.
• Heat some oil in a large non-stick frying pan and add half of the mixture. Add this point, the batter might only fill about half of the pan, but use a spatula to flatten the veg until you have formed a thin even pancake. This is key, as a thick pancake will steam rather than fry and might not cook through in the centre. As the veg cooks and softens, it’ll be easier to spread out, so keep going. Fry the pancake for 4-5 minutes or until golden (gently lift one side with a spatula to peek underneath), then shake the pan to loosen it. Now confidently flip the pancake in one smooth motion. Drizzle some more oil around the sides, flatten the pancake even further with the spatula and fry for another 4-5 min until golden on the other side. Then transfer to a board, cut it into squares and serve with the dipping sauce.

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