Street Food & Snacks
Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Scallion Pancake)
Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Servings
2
Steps
- 1
Whisk together flour, rice flour, cold water, egg, and salt into a thin, pourable batter.
- 2
Heat a generous amount of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
- 3
Lay the green onions in the pan first, arranging them in a flat layer.
- 4
Pour the batter over the green onions, just enough to bind them together.
- 5
Scatter the seafood and chili over the top while the batter is still wet.
- 6
Fry 3-4 minutes until the bottom is deeply golden and crisp, pressing down occasionally.
- 7
Flip carefully and fry another 3-4 minutes on the other side.
- 8
Cut into wedges and serve hot with the dipping sauce.
Did you know — Korean culture
Pajeon has a specific, widely-shared cultural association with rainy days in Korea — the sizzle of batter hitting a hot, oiled pan is often compared to the sound of rain itself, and pajeon restaurants reliably see a rush of customers whenever it starts pouring. There's a practical layer to it too: rainy days historically kept farmers and fishermen indoors, and pan-frying a simple flour batter with whatever seafood or vegetables were on hand was an easy way to make a meal out of a day when outdoor work wasn't possible.
The rice flour mixed into the batter is what gives haemul pajeon its shatter-crisp edge instead of a soft, bready one. All-purpose flour alone bakes up closer to a dense pancake; the added rice flour dries out and crisps more aggressively in hot oil, which is the texture this dish is actually known for.
Frying in a generous amount of oil, closer to shallow-frying than a light sauté, matters more than people expect. A dry pan with just a film of oil steams the batter instead of crisping it — real haemul pajeon fries in enough oil that the edges genuinely fry, not just cook through.
Pajeon has a specific, widely-shared cultural association with rainy days in Korea — the sizzle of batter hitting a hot, oiled pan is often compared to the sound of rain itself, and pajeon restaurants reliably see a rush of customers whenever it starts pouring. There's a practical layer to it too: rainy days historically kept farmers and fishermen indoors, and pan-frying a simple flour batter with whatever seafood or vegetables were on hand was an easy way to make a meal out of a day when outdoor work wasn't possible.
Troubleshooting
Pancake soft and doughy instead of crisp? Not enough oil, most likely — this dish wants a shallow-fry amount, not a light coating, plus the rice flour in the batter.
Seafood overcooked and rubbery? It goes on top while the batter is still wet, cooking gently as the pancake fries rather than needing to be pre-cooked.
Pancake falling apart when flipped? Let the first side fully set and turn deeply golden before attempting the flip — a pale, underdone bottom won't hold together.