Cheesy Corn Kimchi Jeon

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 45 min
  • Active: 45 min
  • Yield: 4 pancakes
Kimchi jeon, a savory, flavor-packed Korean pancake, is a quick and easy dish usually enjoyed as a snack or appetizer. My spin includes an entire can of corn plus shredded mozzarella in the batter—for a cheesy, subtly sweet twist on the original. A drizzle of Japanese-style mayo and a sprinkle of furikake before serving take the place of the usual soy sauce-based dipping sauce, adding a bit of richness, umami and texture. Make sure to use ice-cold water for the batter and don't skimp on oil when cooking the pancakes.

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet with a cooling rack; set aside.
  2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, gochugaru and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl until combined. Add the corn with its liquid, mozzarella, ice water and kimchi and brine and toss and combine with a rubber spatula until well incorporated. (The batter will be thick but should be fluid enough to pour out onto the skillet and spread with a spoon/rubber spatula. Add a tablespoon of water at a time, if needed.)
  3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 3/4 cup batter to the skillet and spread the batter with the spatula to the edges of the skillet. Lower the heat to low and cook until the top of the pancake loses its shine and becomes dry and set and the edges turn crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown, about 4 more minutes, adding an additional 1 tablespoon oil if the pancake seems dry (see Cook's Note). Transfer the pancake to the cooling rack and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter.
  4. Drizzle mayonnaise over the pancakes and garnish with furikake.

Cook’s Note

Use fermented or overripe kimchi if possible. If your kimchi is dry and does not have enough brine, add more water to yield 1 cup liquid for the batter along with 1 to 2 teaspoons more gochugaru. Do not skimp on oil; add a tablespoon at a time if the skillet becomes completely dry. This will help crisp up the edges of the pancake while keeping it moist.