Others

Ban Ban Pancake

03.02.23

Photo | Selina S. Lee

I’ve always thought ‘ban ban’ (half and half) of Jjajangmyeon and Jjampoong at Korean Chinese restaurants were a genius idea. Whoever came up with that idea as well as the divided bowls for it deserves to win an award. 😀 I’m bandwagoning on that idea and made a ban ban Korean pancakes. Half with chives and onion and another half with kimchi. It’s perfect for people that want both at the same time. The pancake batter sticks and binds well together so you can make them in one pan. Make sure to give it a try and let me know how you like it!

Half & Half Pancake (반반부침게) – 4 servings

Ingredient
1 cup Korean pancake mix flour (부침가루)
½ cup Korean frying mix flour (튀김가루)
1 small bunch (5 oz) of Korean chives, cut 2-inches length
½ yellow onion (5 oz), julienned
3 scallions (2 oz), finely chopped
1 cup kimchi, chopped
10 sheets kkaennip perilla leaves, sliced – optional
12 oz sparkling water or cold water
4 tbsp or more canola oil

  1. In a large mixing bowl, add pancake mix and frying mix flour with sparkling water. Using a whisk, mix until no crumbs. Divide the mixture into two bowls. 
  2. Add chives, onion, and perilla (if using) to one mixture. Add kimchi and scallion on the other. 
  3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add chives and onion mixture on one side, and add kimchi on the other side (half and half). Using a wooden chopstick, poke holes in the batter to let the oil penetrate. Cook it for 2-3 minutes until the edges are getting crispy and cook evenly on one side. Using a large flipper to flip over. 
  4. Lower the heat and cook the other side for 2-3 minutes. Flip it one more time to cook both sides until crispy.

Tip: Use garlic chives instead of Korean chives if not accessible.

Ban Ban Buchimgae (반반부침게)

Half & Half Pancake - Chives, Onion and Kimchi
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Rice & Noodles

Yubuchobap (Stuffed Tofu Pockets)

02.25.23

My mom used to pack me these stuffed tofu pockets for school field trips/picnics. Yes, they are similar looking to Inari Sushi you find at Japanese restaurants. The flavor is completely different with no sweet note to them. I love that she stuffed the seasoned tofu pockets with fried rice. For my rendition, I mixed sauteed vegetables and beef into the rice. It made it less greasy. I would say the tricky part of making this is to make sure tofu pockets are seasoned well so you wouldn’t have to overly season the filling. Hope you give it a try and if you have kids, I think they would definitely love it if you pack them for their field trips! Oh, did I tell you my mom always packed some extra for the teachers? Smart mom. : )

Yubuchobap (유부초밥) – 4-6 servings (yields 20 pockets)

Ingredient
10 fried bean curd tofu pockets
1/2 lb lean ground beef
3 oz (½ medium) carrots, finely chopped
3.5 oz (1 small) yellow onion, finely chopped
4 oz (1) ae hobak (Korean squash), finely chopped
4-5 cups of cooked rice

½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
â…“ cup mirin

  1. Add soy sauce, sugar, and mirin in a medium saucepan with 1 cup of water, then simmer it for about 2 minutes. Add tofu pockets then turn the heat off. Press down the tofu pockets in the sauce using a spoon so it will soak up the sauce. Leave it in the sauce for about 15 minutes then using the sieve, drain out the liquid but press down with a spoon. 
  2. In a large skillet pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Saute onions, carrots, and ae hobak until soft but not brown. Season it with salt and pepper.
  3. In the same skillet pan, add ground beef. Cook it for 5-7 minutes until the meat is fully cooked. Season it with salt and pepper. 
  4. In a large mixing bowl, add sauteed vegetables and beef. Add freshly cooked rice and mix everything together while the rice is still warm.
  5. Using a spoon, stuff each tofu pocket. Gently press down with your fingers to fit tightly into the tofu pocket. 

Tip: You can use zucchini instead of ae hobak. If you are using a regular soy sauce, you may need to adjust the water and sugar portions. Tofu pockets may be too salty.

Yubuchobap (유부초밥)

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