Kimchi Pancakes
A popular Korean side dish, these delicious, savory pancakes are usually made with scallion and mung beans, a yellow lentil-like legume, and served as an appetizer. I was inspired to make a more accessible pancake, using cornmeal, because the idea of a savory pancake complimented by the kimchi should be simple. You can use either green onion or chive kimchi, depending on your preference.
Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
2 teaspoons sweet rice flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup cold seltzer water
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or other neutral oil
1 cup MIL HOUSE or VEGAN Reserve Kimchi, liquid drained and cut into long 3-inch strips
For the dipping sauce:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For the Assembly
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, sweet rice flour, and salt. Add the seltzer water and stir until just incorporated. Add the kimchi and mix to combine.
2. In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Pour half the batter into the center of the skillet, and, using a ladle, slowly smooth the batter toward the outer edges of the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges are crispy, and then carefully flip the pancake with a spatula and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove the pancake from the pan and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining batter.
3. While the pancake cooks, make the dipping sauce by stirring together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Serve with the hot pancake wedges.
Credit: From The Kimchi Cookbook: 60 Modern and Traditional Ways to Make and Eat Kimchi published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Crown Publishing and Radom House 2012