Korean Burdock Matchstick Pancake
Quick answer
- Total time
- 28 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 2 servings
- Ingredients
- 8
About this dish
Burdock root, julienned into thin matchstick strips and pan-fried with onion and cheongyang chili, is a jeon with texture as its main argument.
Read more
The combination of Korean pancake mix and tempura flour in the batter produces a result that is crispier than standard jeon, particularly at the edges where the thin strips of burdock protrude from the batter and catch the heat. Burdock has an earthy, faintly bitter flavor that holds up in the pan, and the onion provides sweetness alongside it. Cheongyang chili cuts through with a slow-building, lingering heat. Cold water keeps the batter loose and inhibits gluten development, so the finished jeon stays light rather than dense. Hot from the pan, the edges shatter; cooled, they turn chewy.
Ingredients
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Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Step
Scrub the skin of burdock (180 g) with a sponge or scrubber and julienne into 3-4 mm wide strips.
Submerge in cold water immediately and soak for 5 minutes to prevent browning.
- 2Prep
Slice onion (60 g) in matching strips.
Halve the chili seeds, then slice chili (1 ea) diagonally thin. Drain burdock and pat dry with paper towel.
- 3Season
Combine pancake mix (100 g), tempura flour (30 g), and salt (2 g) first, then pour in cold water (150 ml) and stir lightly.
Adding tempura flour increases crispness, so do not over-mix.
- 4Prep
Add burdock, onion, and chili to the batter.
Toss with chopsticks 5-6 times until each piece is lightly coated. A thin coat is ideal; heavy coating leads to oil absorption.
- 5Control
Heat oil (3 tbsp) generously in a pan over medium heat and spread the batter to less than 1 cm thick.
Leave untouched for the first 3 minutes so the bottom crisps firmly.
- 6Finish
Flip once the edges are golden and firm, cook 2 more minutes, then rest briefly on paper towel for 30 seconds to drain excess oil.
Serve immediately.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Crispy julienned burdock root and cheongyang chili deliver an earthy, slightly bitter bite.
- Finish cue
- Flip once the edges are golden and firm, cook 2 more minutes, then rest briefly on paper towel for 30 seconds to drain excess oil.
- Avoid this
- If cut too thick, burdock can become tough.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official cooking and food safety guidance.
This recipe
28min, 8 ingredients
Category median
30min, 8 ingredients
Based on 80 recipes
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