Sweet and Tender Napa Cabbage Pancakes (Baechujeon) Inspired by Sumi’s Side Dishes
The Perfect Snack: Recreating Sumi’s Side Dishes Napa Cabbage Pancakes
Napa cabbage pancakes have always been a cherished dish in my family, especially during holidays and ancestral rites. The natural sweetness and tender texture of the cooked cabbage made it a favorite, often eaten before other festive pancakes. It’s surprisingly simple yet incredibly delicious! Inspired by a recent episode of ‘Sumi’s Side Dishes’ featuring this dish as a summer energy booster, I decided to recreate it using fresh napa cabbage I had on hand for kimchi. The result was so wonderfully tasty that I ended up having a late-night feast! If you’re looking for a unique and satisfying dish, this is it.
Main Ingredient- 1 whole Napa Cabbage
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by trimming the tough bottom end of the napa cabbage with a knife. This will make it much easier to separate the leaves individually.
Step 2
Gently separate the leaves from the base of the cabbage. Wash each leaf thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Afterward, drain them well in a colander. Ensuring the leaves are as dry as possible will prevent the batter from becoming too watery.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the batter for our delicious napa cabbage pancakes. In a large bowl, add 2 ladles of all-purpose flour. This is roughly equivalent to about 1 cup of flour.
Step 4
Next, add 2.5 tablespoons of sweet rice flour. This ingredient is key to achieving a wonderfully chewy and crispy texture in your pancakes.
Step 5
Pour in 200ml (approximately 1 cup) of water. It’s best to add the water gradually, adjusting the consistency as you go, rather than pouring it all at once. Whisk everything together with a whisk or spoon until you achieve a smooth, lump-free batter. Let the batter rest for about 10 minutes while you prepare the cabbage.
Step 6
Dip the washed and drained napa cabbage leaves into the prepared batter. Using chopsticks or your hands, coat each leaf evenly on both sides with the batter. Aim for a thin, consistent coating of batter on the cabbage.
Step 7
It’s time to cook these golden beauties! Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. As Chef Sumi Kim suggests, using plenty of oil is crucial for bringing out the cabbage’s natural sweetness and ensuring a tender texture. For the sake of flavor, let’s temporarily forget about dieting and use oil generously!
Step 8
Another secret from ‘Sumi’s Side Dishes’ is to create small ‘breathing holes’ in the cabbage leaves with chopsticks while cooking. This allows heat to penetrate evenly into the cabbage, resulting in a moister and more tender pancake. This simple step significantly enhances the texture.
Step 9
Carefully place the battered cabbage leaves onto the hot, oiled pan. Cook over medium-low heat, flipping occasionally, until both sides are golden brown and crispy. Keep an eye on the heat to prevent burning.
Step 10
The final secret to Sumi’s napa cabbage pancakes is to flip them only once! Once one side is beautifully golden and cooked through, flip the pancake and cook the other side until it’s equally golden. This technique ensures the cabbage remains moist inside while the exterior becomes perfectly crisp. Once cooked, place the pancakes on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil before serving. Enjoy!
