Korean Turnip Pancake (Yachaejeon)

December 15, 2020

Yachaejeon is usually a thin savory pancake filled with a mix of vegetables served with a soy dipping sauce. This version steers away from tradition, and highlights turnip as the main star. The turnip adds a lovely sweetness to the savory, umami flavor of the Doenjang (fermented soybean paste). This pancake’s crisp edges and a soft, chewy center make it impossible to have just one. This recipe is easily adjustable to whatever vegetables you have in your fridge, and it’s vegan! 

Serving: 4-6

Ingredients

½  cup all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 cup grated turnip

⅔  cup water

2 tsp doenjang (fermented soybean paste)

½  tsp salt

4 Tbsp of canola oil or any frying oil, plus more if needed

3 scallions, chopped

 

Sauce: 

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp of rice vinegar

1 tsp sugar

¼ tsp of toasted sesame seeds

½  fresh chili- optional

 

Directions

1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, and salt together in a bowl. 
2. Peel and shred the turnip on the largest setting of your food processor or box grater.
3. Use a towel or cheesecloth to squeeze all the liquid out of the shredded turnip.
4. Mix together the turnip and the whites of the scallion into the dry ingredients.
5. Add the water and doenjang. 
6. Mix the batter well. The batter should resemble a thick pancake batter.
7. Heat oil in a non stick pan and spread the batter in a thin layer. Flatten and fry until golden, then flip until the other side is browned. 
8. Transfer pancake onto a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle it with a bit more salt. Fry the rest of the batter.
9. For the dipping sauce, mix the soy, rice vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. 
10. Garnish the pancakes with the rest of the scallion. Serve with the sauce on the side. 

This recipe was created by Local Roots Recipe Contributor Katie Yun / @bothand.nyc

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