Korean veggie pancakes: A crispy, healthy twist on a classic dish

Korean cuisine remains somewhat of a mystery for many people. While we are somewhat familiar with Chinese and Japanese delicacies, Korean cuisine often raises questions. Exploring the delights of Korea is worth starting with simple vegetable pancakes. They can easily replace potato pancakes.

Korean vegetable pancakes are an excellent snack or main dish. They are light, healthy, and full of flavour. Since vegetables are the main ingredient, they're a great way to sneak an extra serving of vegetables into your diet. They're a tasty and interesting variation from traditional potato pancakes or those made from grated zucchini.

These pancakes are a hit in my house. The vegetables make them crispy, and each bite is a tasty adventure, as you discover what landed in the batter. You can experiment with the vegetables, adding what you currently have in the fridge.

The addition of potato starch makes the pancakes incredibly crispy and tasty. The pieces of vegetables should be noticeable and dominate the batter. Don't overdo it with the salt—the sauce for the pancakes will be salty. You can adjust the amount of gochugaru pepper to your preferences. If you like spicier flavours, add more. You can omit this addition if you want to serve the pancakes to children. You can also experiment with different types of sauces, such as sweet and sour or spicy chili.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 small zucchini,
• 1/2 carrot,
• 1/2 onion,
• 1/8 cabbage,
• green onion,
• 1 cup all-purpose flour,
• 1/2 cup potato starch,
• 1/2 teaspoon salt,
• about 250 mL of water (approx. 8 fl oz).

For the sauce:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce,
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar,
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil,
• 1 teaspoon gochugaru pepper (or other hot pepper),
• 1 teaspoon sugar,
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds.

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, potato starch, and salt. Gradually pour in the water until a batter forms that has a consistency similar to pancake batter.
2. Wash all the vegetables thoroughly and cut them into thin julienne strips. They should not be too long. Chop the green onion.
3. Add the chopped vegetables to the batter and gently mix.
4. Heat a pan, add a little oil, and spoon portions of the batter, forming round pancakes.
5. Fry until the pancakes are golden brown.
6. In a small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients and mix well.

Serve the finished pancakes hot, drizzled with soy sauce. You can also sprinkle them with sesame seeds or add fresh herbs like cilantro. Enjoy!