Name: Korean Scallion Pancake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 8–10 stalks Green onion (scallions); 1 cup All-purpose flour; 2 Eggs; ¾ cup Cold water; ½ teaspoon Salt; 4 tablespoons Vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons Soy sauce (for dipping sauce); 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar (for dipping sauce); 1 pinch Gochugaru (for dipping sauce); ½ teaspoon Sesame oil (for dipping sauce)

The first time I tried to explain pajeon to my friend Sofia — she's from São Paulo, visiting Seoul for a week — she nodded politely through my description of "savory pancake with scallions" and then just waited to try it. Descriptions don't do it justice.

She took one bite, then looked at the pancake, then looked at me. "Why is this so crispy?" she asked. "What did you do to it?"

I explained: cold water in the batter (ice water if you want to be precise about it), plenty of oil in the pan — not a shallow drizzle but actual pooling around the edges — and the flip. The recipe specifies adding another tablespoon of oil around the edges when you flip, and that second hit of oil is what makes the bottom properly golden and crisp while the interior stays chewy. The scallions embedded in the batter soften and become almost sweet.

Sofia was taking notes on her phone, which I found amusing. She does food writing back home and she kept asking about the dipping sauce — the rice vinegar and soy sauce combination with a pinch of gochugaru. She said the acid was the thing that made it work, that without the sauce the pancake would be good but with it everything snapped into focus.

She's right. The sauce is not garnish. It's the contrast that makes each bite interesting: crispy-salty pancake, bright-acidic dip. The green onion running edge to edge through the middle of the pancake isn't just visual — when you bite through you get that sharp onion flavor against the mild batter.

Pajeon is the food Koreans eat when it's raining. There's something about rain and the sound of batter hitting a hot pan that feels linked. Sofia didn't have that association yet, but she ordered it twice more while she was there.

Instructions

Make the dipping sauce: mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and optionally a pinch of gochugaru and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.

Wash the green onions. Trim the roots and any wilted tops. Leave them whole or cut in half to fit your pan.

Tip: Long, whole scallions are traditional and look beautiful. They should run from edge to edge of the pancake.

In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 eggs, ¾ cup cold water, and ½ teaspoon salt until a smooth batter forms. It should be slightly thinner than pancake batter — about the consistency of heavy cream.

Tip: Using cold water (or even ice water) makes the batter crispier. Do not over-mix — a few lumps are fine.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in half the batter to form a thin round pancake. Lay the green onions on top in a single layer, pressing them gently into the batter.

Cook for 3–4 minutes until the edges are set and the bottom is golden brown. You can peek by gently lifting with a spatula.

Add another tablespoon of oil around the edges of the pancake. Flip carefully. Press down with the spatula and cook another 3–4 minutes until crispy and golden.

Tip: The extra oil when flipping ensures both sides get crispy. Pajeon should be crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside.

Slide onto a cutting board. Cut into squares or wedges. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Korean Scallion Pancake

Pajeon

Prep: 10 minCook: 15 minTotal: 25 minServings: 2

Ingredients

8–10 stalks Green onion (scallions)
1 cup All-purpose flour
2 Eggs
¾ cup Cold water
½ teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Soy sauce (for dipping sauce)
1 tablespoon Rice vinegar (for dipping sauce)
1 pinch Gochugaru (for dipping sauce)(optional)
½ teaspoon Sesame oil (for dipping sauce)(optional)

Instructions

Make the dipping sauce: mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar and optionally a pinch of gochugaru and ½ teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.
Wash the green onions. Trim the roots and any wilted tops. Leave them whole or cut in half to fit your pan.
In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour, 2 eggs, ¾ cup cold water, and ½ teaspoon salt until a smooth batter forms. It should be slightly thinner than pancake batter — about the consistency of heavy cream.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in half the batter to form a thin round pancake. Lay the green onions on top in a single layer, pressing them gently into the batter.
Cook for 3–4 minutes until the edges are set and the bottom is golden brown. You can peek by gently lifting with a spatula.
Add another tablespoon of oil around the edges of the pancake. Flip carefully. Press down with the spatula and cook another 3–4 minutes until crispy and golden.
Slide onto a cutting board. Cut into squares or wedges. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve with the dipping sauce.