Simple Gut-Lovin' Kimchi Pancake

Living in Shanghai for 6 years lead me to eating A LOT of good Asian food.  One thing I missed being away was Kimchi Pancakes (also called Kimchijeon). These are not a Chinese food, but you can still easily find them there and were something I'd eat on a semi-regular basis as the Korean food there is to die for!  You can also find them here are most Korean restaurants (and trust me when I go that is something I make sure to order!)

When creating this recipe I made a couple modifications from the original.  Typically Kimchi Pancakes are made with soy sauce (highly estrogenic) and wheat flour (gluten), which is not the end of the world for most people. But when something is within my control or is I will be consuming it more frequently, I try to make modifications that make it more beneficial to my health.  So instead of using soy sauce or what flour, you will see this recipe calls for coconut aminos and cassava flour!

These delicious and savory pancakes are perfect when served as an appetizer, side dish, snack, or light meal.

Ingredients List

Pancake:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp. kimchi brine from jar
• 1 tbsp. coconut aminos (divided)
• ¾ cup + 1 tbsp. casava flour
• 1½ cups kimchi (roughly chopped)
• 4 scallions (finely chopped)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• ½ cup water

Sauce:

• 3 tbsp. White vinegar
• 3 tbsp. Coconut aminos

How to Make

This could not get any more simple!  Mix the egg, kimchi brine, coconut aminos, and water together.  If you want the pancakes to be more crispy than chewy, I recommend using VERY cold water (I prefer them on the chewy side).  Next mix in the cassava flour very well so that there are no lumps.  And finally you can add the kimchi and green onion.

Heat your pan to medium-high and add the butter to prevent the pancakes from sticking (you may want more than the recipe calls for).  Use a 1/3 cup measuring cup as the scooper as that is approximately how much batter you will want per pancake.  Scoop it into the pan and pat down until it resembles a pancake shape.

If you want crispy pancakes you will want to frequently shake the pan as that helps distribute the oil.  Otherwise, just let it sit for 3-4 minutes before flipping and cooking the other side for another 3-4 minutes.

While the pancakes are sizzling you can make the sauce!  Mix the white vinegar and coconut aminos into a small jar and set aside.

When all the pancakes are done, place them on a cutting board and slide either into pizza slices or add desired (I like them more in a square shape.  Garnish with more chopped green onion if desired.  Dip in the sauce and enjoy right away.

This should make around 9 pancakes.

Stay in the Know!

Phillip and I are working on a cookbook we hope to release for you in Spring 2024!  It's going to be filled with meals we miss from China and possibly even include a few non-Chinese Asian recipes.

We will keep everyone on the ECFitness email list updated on release dates and new recipes!