Crispy and Savory Mung Bean Pancakes (Nokdujeon)
How to Make Delicious Mung Bean Pancakes, a Perfect Treat for Rainy Days!
Discover how to make a special Mung Bean Pancake using an abundance of mung beans. This recipe is inspired by various sources, with a particular focus on achieving a crispy texture, adapted from Choi Yu-ra’s YouTube channel. Enjoy the perfect balance of crispy exterior and tender interior, just like authentic Nokdujeon, right in your own kitchen.
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups peeled mung beans
- 200g ground pork
- 100g soybean sprouts
- 100g fernbrake sprouts
- 2 Korean green chilies (Cheongyang peppers)
- 1 white part of a leek
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The key to delicious Mung Bean Pancakes is the mung beans! Prepare 2 cups of peeled mung beans and soak them in water overnight. This soaking process ensures they become tender and cook beautifully.
Step 2
Rinse the soaked mung beans several times under cold running water. The hulls are nutritious and can affect texture, so gently remove any loose hulls that float to the surface. While complete removal is difficult, rinsing them clean is ideal.
Step 3
Place the rinsed mung beans in a blender and grind them until they have a slightly coarse texture, not too smooth. Over-grinding can lead to a dry, crumbly pancake. Leaving some texture provides a pleasant bite.
Step 4
Prepare the filling ingredients. Finely chop the Korean green chilies for a touch of heat. Slice the white part of the leek diagonally. With these steps, your ingredient prep is complete!
Step 5
If your fernbrake sprouts are already seasoned, use them as is. If they need seasoning, lightly toss them with soy sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic. (If referencing previous recipes, this step might be optional.)
Step 6
Similarly, for the soybean sprouts: briefly blanch them, squeeze out excess water, and then lightly season with salt, sesame oil, and minced garlic. (If referencing previous recipes, this step might be optional.)
Step 7
Combine the prepared sprouts (soybean and fernbrake), chopped green chilies, and sliced leek in a bowl. Mix them gently to create the filling.
Step 8
Now, let’s season the ground pork. In a bowl with 200g of ground pork, add half a tablespoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, a pinch of black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix well. Adding 1 teaspoon of ginger syrup (or ginger juice) helps eliminate any pork odor and enhances flavor.
Step 9
Add the seasoned ground pork to the coarsely ground mung bean batter and mix thoroughly. Ensuring the pork is evenly distributed throughout the batter guarantees a burst of flavor with every bite.
Step 10
To the mung bean and pork mixture, add 2 tablespoons of glutinous rice flour. This flour helps adjust the batter’s consistency and contributes to a crispier finish. Aim for a batter that is neither too thick nor too thin – it should be slightly pourable from a ladle. Feel free to adjust the amount of glutinous rice flour to your preference.
Step 11
Time to start cooking! Heat a pan over medium-high heat and generously add cooking oil. Ladle the mung bean batter onto the hot pan and spread it into a round, flat shape. Avoid making it too thick, as this ensures it cooks through evenly and becomes delightfully crispy.
Step 12
Once the mung bean batter is spread, carefully arrange the filling mixture (soybean sprouts, fernbrake sprouts, chilies, leeks) from step 6 on top. Gently press down the edges to help them adhere.
Step 13
Finally, gently cover the filling with more mung bean batter, like tucking it in with a blanket. Once the bottom side is golden brown and the edges look slightly crispy, carefully flip the pancake. Using two spatulas can help you flip it neatly without breaking it.
