Nokdujeon (Mung Bean Pancakes)

A thick pancake with a brown, crispy crust revealing a soft, crushed bean center. Rendered pork fat and fermented kimchi acidity punch through every bite.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 690
• Protein: 32 g
• Carbs: 65 g
• Fat: 34 g

Ingredients

• 300 g mung beans ( soaked and peeled )
• 150 g Ground pork ( fresh )
• 150 g kimchi ( chopped )
• 3 piece Spring onion, sauté/poêlé sans matière grasse ( sliced )
• 2 piece Garlic ( pressed )
• 1 tbsp Korean soy sauce ( for the batter )
• 100 ml Sunflower oil ( for frying )
• 300 g Peeled mung beans (yellow) ( soaked )

Instructions

1. Base preparation

   Rinse the mung beans (whole and/or peeled). Soak them in cold water for at least 8 hours. For whole beans, rub them between your hands to remove the skins. Using peeled beans simplifies this step and ensures a brighter color. Drain thoroughly.

2. Grinding

   Blend the beans with a little water. The texture should not be a smooth puree, but remain slightly grainy to the touch to ensure it holds together during cooking.

3. Filling preparation

   Coarsely chop the kimchi and pork. Slice the green onions diagonally. Press the garlic. Mix these elements into the bean paste. Season with soy sauce.

4. Cooking

   Heat a pan with a generous layer of sunflower oil. Pour in a ladleful of batter. When the edges brown and loosen, flip. The pancake should be well-seared and crispy.

Chef's tips

• The oil must be very hot before pouring the batter to prevent the pancake from soaking it up like a sponge.
• Do not over-blend the beans; the grain provides the final crunch.
• Use a cast iron skillet for perfect thermal inertia.

Storage

Keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Reheat in a dry pan to restore the crispiness.