Gamja jeon

A pancake with deep brown, ultra-crispy edges contrasting with a soft, almost chewy heart. The smell of searing potatoes in hot oil fills the kitchen with a comforting aroma.

• Prep time: 15 min
• Cook time: 10 min
• Difficulty: Easy
• Calories: 446
• Protein: 7 g
• Carbs: 50 g
• Fat: 23 g

Ingredients

• 1000 g Potato ( grated )
• 2 piece Onion ( grated )
• 2 tsp Gray sea salt
• 6 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 2 piece Thai chili optional ( thinly sliced )
• 4 tbsp Korean soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Rice vinegar

Instructions

1. Preparing the base

   Peel the potatoes and onion. Grate them finely over a large bowl. The texture should be wet and grainy.

2. Starch extraction

   Squeeze the pulp between your hands to extract all the juice into a container. Let the liquid sit for 10 minutes. A firm white deposit will form at the bottom: that's the starch. Carefully pour off the surface water to keep only this deposit.

3. Making the batter

   Add the squeezed potato and onion pulp back onto the starch. Add the salt. Mix vigorously by hand until the batter is homogeneous and bound.

4. High heat frying

   Heat the sunflower oil in a pan. When the oil shimmers, spread the batter into a thin pancake. Place the Thai chili slices on top. Fry until the edges are translucent and brittle before flipping.

5. Final seasoning

   Mix the Korean soy sauce and rice vinegar in a small bowl to serve alongside the hot pancake.

Chef's tips

• Do not discard the starch at the bottom of the bowl; it provides the binding and crunch without needing flour.
• The pan must be smoking hot before adding the batter to prevent the pancake from absorbing too much oil.

Storage

Eat immediately. The pancake loses its crispness as it cools.