Korean Sweet Potato Pancakes
Quick answer
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...
What makes this special
- Goguma-jeon are julienned sweet potato pancakes with crispy edges held together by natural starch.
- Sweet potato starch sets in the heat, binding with batter to crisp the edges
- Natural sweetness of sweet potato balances the salt seasoning
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Peel 300g of sweet potato and cut it into thin, even julienne strips about 0.3cm thick.
- 2 In a wide bowl, combine 90g pancake mix, 110ml water, 0.3 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar.
- 3 Add the julienned sweet potato to the batter and fold gently so the strips do not break.
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.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Peel 300g of sweet potato and cut it into thin, even julienne strips about 0.3cm thick.
Trim any thicker pieces so the potato cooks at the same pace and does not stay firm inside.
- 2Season
In a wide bowl, combine 90g pancake mix, 110ml water, 0.3 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Whisk until the dry flour disappears and the batter looks thick enough to cling to the sweet potato.
- 3Step
Add the julienned sweet potato to the batter and fold gently so the strips do not break.
Stop when the batter lightly coats the spaces between the strips instead of pooling heavily at the bottom.
- 4Control
Add 2 tablespoons cooking oil to a pan and preheat over medium heat for about 1 minute.
The pan is ready when a small bit of batter sizzles gently around the edges without smoking.
- 5Heat
Spoon the mixture into the pan and press it very thin with the back of the spoon.
Keep the heat at medium and fry for 3-4 minutes, until the edges set, look lacy, and turn golden.
- 6Heat
When the underside is deep golden, slide a wide spatula under the pancake and flip it carefully.
Cook for 2-3 minutes more, then remove it when both sides feel crisp and let it rest briefly before serving.
After the steps
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