Savory Soybean Pancake (Kongjeon) – A Delicious Recipe
Making Delicious Kongjeon: A Savory Soybean Pancake Perfect for Holidays
Tired of the usual holiday dishes? This time, I tried making a unique pancake. It’s crispy and nutty like it contains nuts.
Ingredients- 1 cup dried soybeans (meju kong)
- 1 stalk scallion, finely chopped
- 1 handful chives, finely chopped
- 300g ground pork
- 60g soybean powder
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 cup pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 cup water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 1 cup of dried soybeans (meju kong) and soak them in water for at least 5 hours. If you have more time, soaking them overnight beforehand will make the skins easier to remove.
Step 2
After soaking for about 5 hours, rub the soybeans with your hands to remove the skins. Rinse them thoroughly until clean. Removing the skins results in a smoother and cleaner texture for the pancake.
Step 3
Place the washed soybeans into a blender or food processor and grind them until finely processed. If using a blender, add a little water to help achieve a smooth consistency.
Step 4
Finely chop the scallion. The aromatic flavor of the scallions will enhance the overall taste of the pancake.
Step 5
Finely chop the chives after washing and draining them well.
Step 6
In a bowl, combine the ground soybeans with the ground pork, chopped chives, chopped scallions, and soybean powder. Mix everything thoroughly to form the batter. (Tip: You can add a little minced garlic if you like, but it’s delicious without it too. For a texture similar to a savory Korean pancake called ‘Bindaetteok’, you can add finely chopped kimchi.)
Step 7
Add 1 cup of water to the batter gradually, mixing until you reach a consistency that is not too runny. Once the batter is well combined, season it with salt and pepper. (Tip: This batter can also be used as a filling for stuffed chili peppers (gochu jeon) or stuffed perilla leaves (kkaennip jeon).)
Step 8
Heat a pan over medium heat and generously add cooking oil, such as grapeseed oil. Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the batter onto the hot pan for each pancake, shaping them into small, round patties. (Tip: If you want to make larger pancakes, consider grating some potato and mixing it into the batter. The starch from the potato will help the pancakes hold their shape and cook up very crispy, similar to adding nuts.)
Step 9
Your delicious Kongjeon, made into bite-sized pieces, is now ready! (Tip: If you find the flavor a bit mild, serve them with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce or ketchup.)
