Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Peppers with Colorful Jeon
Late Night Snack Delight: A Feast of Stir-fried Peppers and Vibrant 4-Color Jeon Wraps
To accompany my daughter, who was up late studying, I made this delicious stir-fried peppers (Gochu Japchae) and colorful jeon wraps. I hadn’t expected the jeon pancakes to turn out so beautifully vibrant! The Gochu Japchae, packed with plenty of peppers, paired wonderfully with the jeon wraps, creating a taste akin to a high-end Korean set meal. Even my husband, roused from sleep, enjoyed it and gave it a thumbs-up! Let me share this delightful recipe with you. ^^
Main Ingredients- Pork Neck 626g (mostly lean meat)
- Onion 1/2
- Yellow Bell Pepper 1/2
- Red Bell Pepper 1/2
- Green Chili Peppers approx. 35 (adjust to taste)
Pork Marinade Ingredients- Mirin 1 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Soy Sauce Seasoning (Mild Flavor)- Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp
- Oyster Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Spicy Seasoning (Spicy Flavor)- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 tsp
- Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Accompaniments- Chili Oil a little (for stir-frying)
- Sesame Oil a little (for finishing)
- Toasted Sesame Seeds a little (for finishing)
- Perilla Leaves (for wraps)
- Pickled Radish Wraps (for wraps)
- Scallions a little (optional, for wraps or garnish)
4-Color Jeon Ingredients- All-Purpose Flour 2 cups (approx. 240g)
- Water 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
- Salt 1/4 tsp
- Beet Powder 1 tsp (for red color)
- Pumpkin Powder 1 tsp (for yellow color)
- Green Tea Powder 1 tsp (for green color)
- Mirin 1 Tbsp
- Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Soy Sauce Seasoning (Mild Flavor)- Soy Sauce 2 Tbsp
- Oyster Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Spicy Seasoning (Spicy Flavor)- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 tsp
- Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Accompaniments- Chili Oil a little (for stir-frying)
- Sesame Oil a little (for finishing)
- Toasted Sesame Seeds a little (for finishing)
- Perilla Leaves (for wraps)
- Pickled Radish Wraps (for wraps)
- Scallions a little (optional, for wraps or garnish)
4-Color Jeon Ingredients- All-Purpose Flour 2 cups (approx. 240g)
- Water 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
- Salt 1/4 tsp
- Beet Powder 1 tsp (for red color)
- Pumpkin Powder 1 tsp (for yellow color)
- Green Tea Powder 1 tsp (for green color)
- Gochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes) 1 tsp
- Soy Sauce 1 Tbsp
- Sugar 1 Tbsp
- Plum Extract 1 Tbsp
- Minced Garlic 1 tsp
- Ginger (grated or a pinch of minced ginger)
- Black Pepper to taste
Accompaniments- Chili Oil a little (for stir-frying)
- Sesame Oil a little (for finishing)
- Toasted Sesame Seeds a little (for finishing)
- Perilla Leaves (for wraps)
- Pickled Radish Wraps (for wraps)
- Scallions a little (optional, for wraps or garnish)
4-Color Jeon Ingredients- All-Purpose Flour 2 cups (approx. 240g)
- Water 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
- Salt 1/4 tsp
- Beet Powder 1 tsp (for red color)
- Pumpkin Powder 1 tsp (for yellow color)
- Green Tea Powder 1 tsp (for green color)
- All-Purpose Flour 2 cups (approx. 240g)
- Water 2 cups (approx. 400ml)
- Salt 1/4 tsp
- Beet Powder 1 tsp (for red color)
- Pumpkin Powder 1 tsp (for yellow color)
- Green Tea Powder 1 tsp (for green color)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the pork by selecting lean cuts and slicing them into approximately 1 to 1.5 cm thick pieces. Divide the total 626g of pork into two portions of about 313g each. Prepare to marinate one portion with the soy sauce seasoning and the other with the spicy seasoning. It’s convenient to pre-mix the seasoning ingredients for each.
Step 2
Slice the pork into thin strips. Cutting them thinly and lengthwise, similar to how you would prepare pork for Japchae, will help the marinade penetrate well and improve the texture.
Step 3
Don’t be shy with the green chili peppers – they are the star of Gochu Japchae! Remove the stems from about 35 green chili peppers, scrape out the seeds, and then slice them lengthwise to match the length of the pork strips. (Personally, I think adding even more chili peppers would be delicious!)
Step 4
For added color and crunch, julienne the bell peppers (yellow and red) and the onion, similar in length to the chili peppers. Bell peppers and onions contribute color and a crisp texture, so feel free to adjust the quantities or add other colors of bell peppers according to your preference.
Step 5
Now, let’s make the batter for the 4-color jeon wraps. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 cups of water, and 1/4 tsp of salt. Mix well until smooth and free of lumps. Divide the batter into four equal portions. In separate bowls, add 1 tsp of beet powder, pumpkin powder, and green tea powder respectively to create vibrant colors. (You can leave one portion plain white if you wish.)
Step 6
To ensure a smooth and even texture when cooking, strain the colored batters through a fine-mesh sieve. This will prevent any lumps and result in perfectly delicate jeon pancakes.
Step 7
The jeon batter can be used immediately, but for a chewier and softer texture, it’s best to let it rest in the refrigerator for about 1 to 2 hours. If you’re short on time, you can proceed with cooking right away.
Step 8
Heat a non-stick pan over low heat with a little oil. Pour about one ladleful of batter into the center and swirl to create a thin, round pancake. Cook until lightly golden on both sides. Repeat this process for each colored batter.
Step 9
Voila! Your beautifully vibrant 4-color jeon wraps are ready. Aren’t they lovely?
Step 10
Now, let’s make the Gochu Japchae! First, heat a pan with a little oil and stir-fry the marinated pork over high heat until it’s just cooked through on the outside.
Step 11
Once the pork is partially cooked, add about half of the julienned vegetables (onion and bell peppers) and pour in the prepared soy sauce seasoning. Stir-fry quickly over high heat to maintain the crispness of the vegetables.
Step 12
When all ingredients are well combined and stir-fried, turn off the heat. Drizzle with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds for a delicious and mild soy sauce Gochu Japchae.
Step 13
Now, let’s prepare the spicy version. Heat the pan with a bit of chili oil and stir-fry the marinated pork, as before.
Step 14
Once the pork is cooked, add the remaining vegetables and the spicy seasoning. Stir-fry quickly over high heat, similar to the soy sauce version. Finish with sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds. This completes the spicy Gochu Japchae. (Photos omitted, but the process is very similar to the soy sauce version. ^^)
Step 15
Let’s plate this beautiful meal! For the soy sauce Gochu Japchae, arrange the four colorful jeon wraps around the edge of the plate and place the warm Gochu Japchae in the center.
Step 16
For the spicy Gochu Japchae plating, layer perilla leaves and pickled radish wraps along the edge of the plate, then generously pile the spicy Gochu Japchae in the middle.
Step 17
Alternatively, for those who prefer not to wrap, you can neatly arrange some scallions on a plate and top with the Gochu Japchae. (Optional)
Step 18
Serve the spicy Gochu Japchae also wrapped in perilla leaves and pickled radish wraps, artfully arranged on the plate. You can layer the pickled radish on the perilla or vice versa, depending on your preference.
Step 19
Another enjoyable way to eat this is to prepare individual plates with perilla leaves, pickled radish wraps, jeon pancakes, and Gochu Japchae, allowing everyone to create their own perfect bite. It’s truly delicious this way too!
Step 20
Wrapping a generous portion of Gochu Japchae with perilla leaves, pickled radish wraps, and a colorful jeon pancake creates a fantastic harmony of flavors.
Step 21
With these two delicious variations of Gochu Japchae and the vibrant 4-color jeon wraps, you can create a satisfying and impressive meal without needing many other dishes.
Step 22
Even though I added a good amount of chili peppers, my family commented that they wished I had added even more! Next time, I’ll definitely use an abundance of chilies. Haha.
Step 23
When you eat these wrapped creations, you won’t even miss the rice – they’re so satisfying you’ll keep reaching for more. For special occasions when you don’t want to prepare a huge spread, consider making this Gochu Japchae and jeon recipe, adding just a few extra items for a bountiful feast.
