Cooking Guides

Rainy Day Jeon and Makgeolli Snacks

Haemul pajeon, kimchi jeon, mushroom jeon, and sweet potato pancakes for rainy-day Korean snacks.

Why This Collection Works

Rainy-day jeon works because crisp edges and savory oil contrast with damp weather.

How the Recipes Were Chosen

Seafood pajeon and kimchi jeon lead the set, with vegetable and chicken jeon widening the snack-to-meal range.

How to Build a Meal

Keep the batter cold, heat the pan well, and spread it thin to keep the jeon crisp.

Planning Tips

Choose one main dish first, then balance it with a soup, side dish, or quick vegetable recipe.
When time is limited, open the faster recipes first and save the more involved dishes for a weekend meal.
Use the category and tag links below to expand the collection into similar recipes.

Featured Recipes

Grilled Easy

Korean Seafood Scallion Pancake

Haemul-pajeon is a Korean seafood scallion pancake built by laying scallion segments cut to six or seven centimeters in an oiled pan, topping them with sliced squid and peeled shrimp, then pouring a thin batter of Korean pancake mix and cold water over everything and cooking on medium heat. Cold water inhibits gluten development, which is the secret to shatteringly crisp edges, and the scallions pressed directly against the hot oil caramelize underneath the batter, releasing a sweet, aromatic fragrance unique to pajeon. Shaking the pan before flipping confirms the bottom has released cleanly-forcing a stuck pancake tears the delicate structure-and adding a drizzle of oil around the edges for the second side crisps the perimeter into a golden, almost fried ring. Thinly sliced red chili on top adds color and a gentle heat, completing the dish that is Korea's most iconic pairing with makgeolli rice wine.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 20min Cook 15min 2 servings

Grilled Medium

Korean Busan-style Seafood Green Onion Pancake

Busan-style haemul pajeon is a Korean seafood scallion pancake assembled by laying long green onions across the full width of the pan, topping them with squid, shrimp, and mussel meat, then binding everything together with a thin cold-water batter poured over the top. Mixing the batter with cold water is the defining technique -- lower temperatures inhibit gluten development, producing edges that shatter rather than bend when pressed, a noticeably crispier result than standard pajeon. As the scallions cook through, they release steam and develop a natural sweetness while absorbing the briny, savory liquid from the seafood above. Extra oil added around the perimeter during cooking fries the outer ring into a cracker-like crunch, contrasting with the dense, moist center packed with overlapping layers of shellfish and green onion. Dipping each slice into a sesame-soy sauce completes the contrast between the crisp exterior and the concentrated seafood filling.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 20min Cook 15min 4 servings

Grilled Easy

Korean Chive Kimchi Jeon (Spicy Fermented Kimchi Pancake)

Buchu-kimchi-jeon is a Korean pancake built around well-fermented aged kimchi and garlic chives, mixed into a cold-water batter that also includes a pour of kimchi brine. The brine is not optional: it tints the batter a deep red and introduces the concentrated, tangy umami that only long-fermented kimchi produces, which a fresh batch or water substitute cannot provide. Cold water is used because it limits gluten development, giving the finished pancake a shatteringly crisp exterior instead of the chewy, doughy texture that warm water encourages. Thinly sliced fresh hot green chili adds a sharper, more immediate heat on top of the kimchi's fermented sour spiciness, creating a more complex profile than either ingredient achieves alone. The pancake must be spread thinly on a pan preheated over medium-high heat and left alone until the edges turn a deep golden brown; attempting to flip before the perimeter has fully set will cause the center to collapse and lose its structure. The garlic chives soften into the batter but release a persistent fragrance that carries through each bite and lingers after the meal.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 15min Cook 12min 2 servings

Grilled Easy

Korean Tuna and Kimchi Pancake

Chamchi-kimchi-jeon is a Korean pancake made from drained canned tuna and finely chopped aged kimchi mixed into a batter of Korean pancake flour, water, and egg. The tuna provides mild protein bulk while the fermented kimchi delivers tangy acidity and deep savory depth, and the minimal batter lets both flavors come through without being muted. Pressing the tuna firmly through a strainer right after opening the can removes most of its tinned odor, and a small splash of kimchi brine stirred into the batter deepens both the color and the overall savoriness. Using well-aged kimchi intensifies the sour depth that offsets the tuna's mildness, and the egg in the batter helps the pancake hold together during flipping. The whole pancake comes together in under ten minutes from pantry staples, making it one of the quickest jeon varieties for a casual meal or drinking snack.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 10min Cook 15min 2 servings

Street food Easy

Korean Kimchi Jeon Cup (Kimchi Pancake Cups)

Kimchi jeon cups are small Korean pancakes made from a batter of pancake mix, water, kimchi brine, finely chopped aged kimchi, green onion, and Cheongyang chili, pan-fried into rounds and served standing upright in paper cups. Adding kimchi brine directly to the batter is the key step that separates these from a standard kimchi pancake: the fermented liquid spreads its salt and umami through every part of the batter, so the flavor is more intense and consistent than when kimchi is simply folded into a neutral base. A generous amount of oil in the pan and medium heat together crisp the edges into a fried shell while the center stays slightly soft and chewy. The Cheongyang chili adds a sharp, clean heat on top of the kimchi acidity, keeping the flavor lively. A thicker batter consistency than normal pancakes is necessary for this format: thin batter flops and collapses once stood upright in a cup, while a stiffer mix holds the round shape without bending. The hand-held cup format references pojangmacha culture, the covered street-stall tradition, and the pancakes are typically dipped in soy sauce or a vinegar-gochujang sauce.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🌙 Late Night

Prep 15min Cook 16min 4 servings

Pancakes Easy

Korean Dried Radish Greens Pancake

Boiled dried radish greens are combined with doenjang and pan-fried into a dense, rustic jeon with deep fermented character. The fibrous texture of the radish greens gives the pancake a satisfying chew, and the soybean paste saturates the batter so thoroughly that no dipping sauce is necessary. Buckwheat flour adds an earthy coarseness that suits the greens well. Cheongyang chili provides a spicy accent throughout. Minced garlic benefits from a brief saute in oil before being mixed into the batter-the raw edge cooks off and the garlic's savory depth integrates fully into the finished pancake. Cooking over low heat lets the inside set without burning the outside, producing a crisp surface and a tender, flavorful center.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 18min Cook 10min 2 servings

Pancakes Easy

Korean Beoseot Deulkkae Jeon (Mushroom Perilla Pancake)

Mushroom and perilla seed jeon brings together oyster mushrooms and shiitake, sliced thin and folded into a batter built on perilla seed powder and a splash of soy sauce. Perilla seeds carry a heavier, slightly bitter nuttiness compared to sesame, and that quality anchors the earthy depth of the mushrooms rather than competing with it. Seasoning the batter directly with soy sauce means the pancake holds its own without a dipping sauce, though one on the side does not go amiss. Frying with enough oil gives the exterior a thin, crisp shell while the mushroom filling stays moist inside. Oyster mushrooms torn along their grain develop a pleasantly chewy bite as they cook; shiitake sliced fine distribute evenly so the whole pancake cooks at the same rate. It works as a makgeolli pairing or a straightforward side, and holds up well at room temperature - the perilla aroma actually deepens as it cools.

🍺 Bar Snacks

Prep 18min Cook 14min 2 servings

Grilled Easy

Korean Bean Sprout Pancake

Kongnamul-jeon is a Korean bean sprout pancake made by folding blanched soybean sprouts and sliced green onion into a thin batter of Korean pancake mix, water, and salt, then pan-frying until both sides turn golden. The sprout heads turn nutty and soft when cooked while the stems retain their crunch, creating a contrast of textures within a single pancake. Draining the sprouts thoroughly before mixing is essential-any residual water thins the batter and results in a soggy rather than crisp pancake. Sliced green onion adds an aromatic sharpness to the otherwise mild sprout flavor, and letting the finished pancake cool briefly before slicing keeps it from falling apart.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🏠 Everyday

Prep 15min Cook 10min 2 servings

Grilled Easy

Korean Sweet Potato Pancakes

Goguma-jeon is a Korean sweet potato pancake made by julienning peeled sweet potatoes, folding them into a batter of pancake mix, water, salt, and a touch of sugar, then spreading the mixture thin in an oiled pan and frying both sides until golden. The sweet potato's starch gelatinizes in the heat and bonds with the batter to create lacy, crisp edges, while the center retains the tuber's natural moist sweetness. Keeping the pancake thin is non-negotiable-pressing the batter flat with the back of a spoon ensures even cooking and maximum crunch, because thick portions steam internally and turn soggy. Adding a teaspoon of sugar to the batter amplifies the sweet potato's subtle sweetness and encourages faster caramelization at the edges.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🧒 Kid-Friendly

Prep 15min Cook 12min 2 servings

Pancakes Easy

Korean Shredded Sweet Potato Fritter

Sweet potato is cut into thin strips and pan-fried with julienned carrot and onion in a tempura-style batter. The overlapping sweet potato strands crisp up at the edges during frying, while the centers stay soft and carry the vegetable's natural sweetness. Using cold water to mix the batter keeps it light and loose, preserving the crunch of each strand after cooking. Black sesame seeds scattered over the top add a nutty note and visual contrast. The jeon is best eaten immediately off the pan, when the edges are at peak crispness. A soy-vinegar dipping sauce alongside balances the natural sweetness of the vegetables with a clean, sharp note.

🍺 Bar Snacks 🧒 Kid-Friendly

Prep 12min Cook 14min 2 servings

Related Categories and Tags

Pancakes Grilled Side dishes Street food Bar Snacks Everyday Lunchbox

Frequently Asked Questions

What recipes are included in Rainy Day Jeon and Makgeolli Snacks?

Seafood pajeon and kimchi jeon lead the set, with vegetable and chicken jeon widening the snack-to-meal range.

How many dishes should I make at once?

For a regular meal, one main dish and one or two sides are enough. For holidays or guests, build around one main, one soup, and two or three side dishes.

Can I prepare these recipes ahead?

Keep the batter cold, heat the pan well, and spread it thin to keep the jeon crisp.

More Guides

Seollal Tteokguk and Korean Holiday Food Tteokguk, mandu soup, jeon, galbi-jjim, and japchae recipes for a Korean Lunar New Year table. Chuseok Jeon and Korean Holiday Table Songpyeon, jeon, namul, galbi-jjim, and japchae recipes for a Korean Chuseok table. Summer Naengmyeon and Cold Korean Noodles Mul naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon, makguksu, milmyeon, and cold seaweed soup for hot days. Winter Korean Soups and Stews Tang-guk, muguk, cheonggukjang, miyeok-guk, and kalguksu recipes for cold-weather meals.