Fragrant Lettuce Pancakes (Sangchu Jeon): The Perfect Way to Use Your Garden Lettuce
How to Make Delicious Lettuce Pancakes, Inspired by Lee Young-ja’s Recipe
Do you often find yourself with an abundance of lettuce from your garden, unsure of how to use it all before it spoils? This recipe for Sangchu Jeon (Korean lettuce pancakes) is the perfect solution! It’s a delightful way to enjoy fresh lettuce, transforming it into crispy and flavorful pancakes. Not only does it prevent food waste, but it also creates a wonderful dish that’s perfect as a side, a snack, or even a light meal.
Lettuce Pancake Ingredients- 30 fresh lettuce leaves
- 1 Tbsp vinegar (for washing lettuce)
- 7 Tbsp pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 egg
- 1/2 Tbsp fish sauce (or anchovy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly wash the lettuce leaves under running water. To ensure they are clean, soak them in a bowl of water with 1 tablespoon of vinegar for about 10 minutes. This step helps remove any dirt or pesticide residue, keeping your lettuce fresh and clean.
Step 2
After soaking, rinse the lettuce leaves well and gently pat them dry. Since lettuce leaves are large, first slice them lengthwise into 2-3 strips. Then, chop these strips crosswise into approximately 1 cm pieces. This will make them a manageable size for the pancakes. Avoid chopping them too finely, as this can affect the texture.
Step 3
If you enjoy a bit of spice, finely chop 1 red chili, 1 green chili, and 1 Korean green chili (cheongyang chili). If you’re sensitive to heat, feel free to omit the cheongyang chili or adjust the quantity. The colorful chilies will also add visual appeal to your pancakes.
Step 4
For added color and a hint of sweetness, finely chop about 1/4 of a red bell pepper. The bell pepper’s slight crunch and sweetness will enhance the overall flavor profile of the lettuce pancakes.
Step 5
To add a savory depth and pleasant chewiness, prepare about 1/2 cup of small dried shrimp. Using dried shrimp in your lettuce pancakes will give them a richer flavor compared to using just lettuce. Influenced by Lee Young-ja’s recipe on ‘Jeonji Maseong,’ you could also add other seafood like squid, shrimp meat, or clam meat for an even more complex and delicious taste.
Step 6
In a bowl, combine the chopped lettuce and the optional chopped chilies. Add 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of minced garlic. Gently mix and massage the ingredients together. This brief marination will slightly wilt the lettuce and help it absorb the flavors, making the pancakes tastier.
Step 7
To the wilted lettuce mixture, add the dried shrimp and 7 tablespoons of pancake mix (buchim garu). You can adjust the amount of pancake mix slightly depending on the moisture content of the lettuce. If the batter seems too wet, add a little more pancake mix.
Step 8
Using your hands, mix the ingredients thoroughly. Ensure the pancake mix evenly coats the lettuce and shrimp, and that there are no large clumps.
Step 9
Finally, crack 1 egg into the mixture. The egg will help bind the ingredients together and contribute to a softer texture in the center of the pancake.
Step 10
Mix everything together again until well combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Step 11
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Spoon portions of the lettuce batter onto the hot pan, forming round pancakes. You can make them small and individual, or larger. Ensure the pan isn’t too hot to prevent burning.
Step 12
Once the bottom side is golden brown and crisp, carefully flip the pancake using a spatula. After flipping, gently press down on the pancake with the back of your spatula or a spoon. This helps ensure the inside cooks evenly and makes the exterior extra crispy.
Step 13
Continue to cook until both sides are golden brown and beautifully crisp. Keep an eye on the heat to prevent burning.
Step 14
Serve the delicious lettuce pancakes warm. They are best enjoyed fresh off the pan. For an extra flavor boost, you can serve them with a simple dipping sauce made from soy sauce.
