Fragrant Angelica Tree Shoot Pancakes: A Perfect Companion to Makgeolli
How to Make Angelica Tree Shoot Pancakes: A Delicious Angelica Dish for a Glass of Makgeolli
On a beautiful day, when you’re craving a glass of makgeolli, try making these angelica tree shoot pancakes! They’re a subtly delicious way to enjoy angelica tree shoots.
Ingredients- 300g Angelica tree shoots
- 1 Tbsp salt (for blanching)
- 1 paper cup (approx. 100g) pancake mix
- 1 egg
- 1 paper cup (approx. 200ml) water
- Pinch of salt (for seasoning batter)
- 1 Tbsp perilla oil
- A little cooking oil (for frying)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
We have 300g of fresh angelica tree shoots ready.
Step 2
Here’s how to prepare the angelica tree shoots: First, trim off the tips of the shoots. If the thorns are too numerous and bothersome, you can gently scrape them off with the back of a knife or remove them. However, if you plan to blanch the shoots briefly, you don’t need to remove all the thorns as they won’t significantly impede eating. Be aware that handling them with thorns on can prick your fingers, so wearing gloves is recommended.
Step 3
The angelica tree shoots have been washed clean. Now we’re ready to move on to the cooking process.
Step 4
This is a common tip for preparing any kind of wild greens: adding 1 tablespoon of salt to the boiling water when blanching helps to retain the vibrant color and improves the flavor. Once the shoots are blanched sufficiently, rinse them immediately under cold water to cool them down and then squeeze out the excess water. This step helps maintain their crisp texture.
Step 5
Now, let’s prepare the batter for our delicious angelica tree shoot pancakes. In a bowl, combine 1 paper cup of pancake mix, 1 fresh egg, and 1 paper cup of cold water. Mix them together. Finally, add a small pinch of salt to season the batter to your liking.
Step 6
Check the consistency of the batter and mix well. It should not be too thick or too thin. Now, add the blanched and squeezed angelica tree shoots to the batter and coat them evenly. If the shoots are too long and seem difficult to eat, you can cut them into bite-sized pieces with scissors.
Step 7
Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add about two swirls of cooking oil. To double the nutty aroma, I’ve added 1 tablespoon of perilla oil. Using perilla oil along with cooking oil enhances the flavor significantly.
Step 8
Start cooking over medium heat and maintain that heat until the end. The foamy bubbles that appear around the edges are a natural reaction from the perilla oil and are perfectly safe. If it seems like there are too many shoots and not enough batter, or if the shoots look like they are frying rather than crisping up, add a little more pancake mix to adjust the batter’s consistency.
Step 9
Ta-da! The angelica tree shoot pancakes are perfectly cooked to a golden brown on both sides. Enjoy the fragrant essence of spring!
Step 10
I enjoyed mine with a side of sweet and sour cho-gochujang (spicy red chili paste sauce). Feel free to try them with your favorite dipping sauces, like soy sauce-based dips or ssamjang. They make a wonderful snack or light meal, especially with a glass of makgeolli!
