A simple Korean vegetable pancake made with fresh garden zucchini and Korean Chives.
There is something special about a rainy day in Korea.
When rain falls outside and the sky turns gray, many Koreans think about one particular comfort food: jeon (전).
Jeon is a type of Korean savory pancake made by coating vegetables, meat, seafood, or other ingredients with a light batter and cooking them in a pan.
For many people, the sound of rain brings back the memory of jeon sizzling in a hot frying pan.
I have the same feeling.
On a rainy day, I sometimes want to make a simple vegetable jeon with whatever is fresh in the garden.
Today, I picked fresh Korean chives and zucchini from my garden in Calgary, Alberta.
With just the garden vegetables, flour, tempura mix, and a few simple ingredients, I made a crispy zucchini and Korean chives jeon.
It was simple.
It was warm.
And somehow, the rainy weather made it taste even better.
Why Do Koreans Think of Jeon on a Rainy Day?
There is a familiar Korean saying that rainy weather makes people want to eat jeon.
This is more of a food tradition and cultural association than a rule.
One reason may be the sound.
The sound of rain hitting windows can remind people of the sound of batter sizzling in a frying pan.
Another reason is the feeling of eating something hot and crispy on a cool, wet day.
Whatever the original reason, the connection between rainy days and jeon has become a familiar part of Korean food culture.
For me, it is also connected to memories of home.
A rainy day, a warm kitchen, and a plate of freshly cooked jeon make a very simple meal feel special.
From My Calgary Garden to the Frying Pan
One of the best things about growing vegetables is being able to walk into the garden and pick what I need.
For this jeon, I picked fresh Korean chives and zucchini from my garden.
The Korean chives were young and green, with a fresh onion-like smell.
The zucchini was tender and mild.
I did not need a long shopping list.
The garden provided most of the main ingredients.
This is one of the reasons I enjoy Korean-style home cooking.
A few fresh vegetables can become a delicious meal with very little preparation.
Ingredients
For the Vegetable Jeon
- Fresh zucchini
- Fresh Korean chives (buchu, 부추)
- A small amount of onion
- A small amount of carrot, optional
- All-purpose flour
- Korean crispy batter mix (or tempura powder)
- Korean soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang 국간장) or s pinch of table salt
- Cold water
- Cooking oil
The exact amount of vegetables does not need to be measured perfectly.
This is a flexible recipe.
If you have more zucchini, use more.
If you picked a large handful of Korean chives from the garden, add them.
The important thing is to use enough batter to hold the vegetables together without covering them with a thick layer of flour.
How to Make Zucchini and Korean Chives Jeon
1. Pick and Prepare the Vegetables
If you are using vegetables from your garden, pick fresh zucchini and Korean chives.
Wash them well.
Cut the zucchini into thin strips.
Cut the Korean chives into pieces about 2–3 inches long.
Thinly slice a small amount of onion.
You can also add a little carrot for color and texture.
The vegetables do not have to be exactly the same size.
However, thinner pieces cook more quickly and help the jeon hold together.
2. Make the Light Batter
Place all-purpose flour and tempura mix in a large bowl.
Add cold water little by little while mixing. I used flour 1 : tempura mix 1: water 2.
The batter should be thin enough to lightly coat the vegetables.
The goal is to let the vegetables remain the main part of the jeon.
The flour helps hold everything together, while the tempura mix helps create a lighter and crispier surface.
Using cold water also helps keep the batter light.
I used Korean soup soy sauce instead of salt because it tasted better.
3. Mix the Vegetables With the Batter
Add the zucchini, Korean chives, onion, and optional carrot to the batter.
Mix gently.
Every vegetable should have a light coating of batter.
Try not to use more batter than necessary.
You want to see plenty of green zucchini and Korean chives in the mixture.
If the mixture looks like mostly flour with a few vegetables, there is probably too much batter.
A good vegetable jeon should look like vegetables held together by batter, not batter filled with vegetables.
4. Cook the Jeon
Heat a wide frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add enough cooking oil to cover the bottom of the pan.
When the oil is hot, place the vegetable mixture into the pan.
Spread it into a thin, even layer.
Do not make the jeon too thick.
A thinner jeon cooks more evenly and becomes much crispier around the edges.
Cook until the bottom is golden brown and the edges look crisp.
Carefully flip the jeon.
Add a little more oil around the edges if needed.
Cook the other side until it is also golden brown.
When both sides are nicely cooked, transfer the jeon to a plate.
The Secret to Crispy Vegetable Jeon
Making crispy jeon is not difficult.
A few simple details make a big difference.
Use a Combination of Flour and Tempura Mix
All-purpose flour gives the jeon structure and helps hold the vegetables together.
Tempura mix helps create a lighter and crispier texture.
Using both gives the jeon a good balance between softness and crunch.
Keep the Batter Light
Too much batter can make the jeon heavy.
Use just enough to lightly coat the vegetables.
The vegetables should remain the star of the dish.
Keep the Jeon Thin
This is one of the most important tips.
A thick jeon may stay soft in the middle.
Spread the mixture thinly across the pan so the vegetables cook well and the edges become crisp.
Make Sure the Pan Is Hot
The oil should be hot before the vegetable mixture goes into the pan.
If the pan is not hot enough, the jeon may absorb too much oil and become heavy.
At the same time, avoid extremely high heat because the outside may burn before the vegetables are fully cooked.
Medium-high heat works well for a thin vegetable jeon.
Cook Soon After Mixing
Once the vegetables are mixed with the batter, cook them soon.
Zucchini contains a lot of water.
If the mixture sits for too long, the vegetables can release water and make the batter thinner.
Cooking soon after mixing helps the jeon stay crisp.
A Simple Dipping Sauce
Fresh vegetable jeon already has plenty of flavor, but I like serving it with a simple dipping sauce.
Mix:
- Soy sauce
- A little vinegar
- A little water
- Sesame seeds
If you enjoy spicy food, you can add a small amount of Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru).
The sauce should not overpower the fresh taste of the zucchini and Korean chives.
What Is Jeon?
Jeon (전) is a Korean dish made by cooking ingredients in a pan with a light coating of flour or batter.
There are many kinds of jeon.
Some are made with vegetables, while others may contain meat, fish, or seafood.
Vegetable jeon is especially easy to make at home because you can use whatever vegetables you have available.
In English, jeon is often described as a Korean savory pancake.
It is not the same as a sweet breakfast pancake.
Jeon is a savory Korean food that is commonly enjoyed as a side dish, snack, or part of a larger meal.
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