Pajeon[Green Onion Pancake]

Pajeon is a mixture of wheat flour batter and scallions shallow-fried on a griddle. It goes wonderfully well with chilled Dongdongju (floating rice wine). Recently, restaurants specializing in Pajeon (green onion pancake) have proliferated with the revived popularity of Makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

A Dish to Share with Friends Because green onions are rich in vitamins and minerals, and seafood has a high protein and calcium content, Pajeon is a dish that provides a balanced nutrition all by itself. The savory smell and crispy texture makes for a mouth-watering treat. Pajeon tastes even more delicious when shared with friends. The moment a sizzling Pajeon arrives at the table, everyone digs in with their chopsticks and finishes the plate in no time. The anxious wait for the next one is all part of the fun. Preparing Pajeon is also fun - pouring the mixture into the pan, pressing down with a spatula, waiting until the edges turn crispy and golden brown, and flipping it over with style. Pajeon: Perfect on a Rainy Day For some reason, people associate rain with Pajeon. Some say it’s because the sound of raindrops hitting the ground or a window sill reminds people of the sizzle of spattering oil. This theory may not be totally groundless. According to an experiment conducted by the Sound Engineering Research Lab of Soongsil University, the two sounds have almost identical vibrations and frequencies. There is another physiological explanation: rain increases the discomfort index and decreases blood sugar levels. In response to these changes, the human body naturally craves foods made from starchy wheat flour. A more layman’s view would be that, on a wet, cold day, people simply crave for food that will warm and comfort them. Dongrae-pajeon The most famous pajeon is Dongrae-pajeon. Dongrae is a hot springs town in the Busan area, located in between Eonyang, an area famous for minari (Korean parsley) and green scallions (jjokpa), and Gijang, a fishing town with plentiful seafood. Dongrae-pajeon is cooked in the following way. Line up thin green onion stems on a cast-iron griddle. Place five or six different kinds of seafood over the scallions. Cover with another layer of green onions and Korean parsley (minari). Let the vegetables cook while intermittently spooning hot oil over them. Pour a batter made of ground rice - half sweet and half regular rice – followed by beaten eggs to coat the pancake and add color. Dongrae-pajeon is unrivaled in terms of portion size and taste. This cooking method has become the most popular way for making Pajeon, and Dongrae-pajeon and has become synonymous with Pajeon itself

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