Leftover Greens Transformation: Nutritious ‘Vegetable Pancake’ Recipe
Turn your neglected greens into a satisfying meal!
This recipe by culinary expert Lee Bo-eun from Altoran transforms any type of leftover greens in your refrigerator into a delicious ‘Vegetable Pancake’. Perfect for busy mornings or evenings, it’s a simple yet incredibly nutritious and special meal.
Ingredients- Spinach Namul: 200g
- Balloon Flower Root Namul: 200g
- Fernbrake Namul: 200g
- Well-fermented Kimchi: 300g
- King Oyster Mushroom: 1 pack
- Cooked Rice (cold): 1 bowl (approx. 150g)
- Red Chili Pepper: 1
- Cheongyang Chili Pepper: 2
- Kelp Broth: 1.5 cups (approx. 300ml)
- Egg: 1
- Soup Soy Sauce: 1 tbsp (approx. 15ml)
- Mung Bean Pancake Mix: 1 cup (approx. 120g)
- Perilla Oil (Deulgireum): To taste
- Cooking Oil: To taste
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thoroughly squeeze out any excess water from the spinach, balloon flower root, and fernbrake namul. Then, chop them into bite-sized pieces, about 1cm in length. This prepares them to mix well with the batter and improves the texture.
Step 2
Rinse the well-fermented kimchi to remove excess brine, then pat it dry and finely chop it. The spicy and tangy flavor of the kimchi will enhance the overall taste of the pancake.
Step 3
Trim the base of the king oyster mushrooms and separate the gills, then finely chop them. Halve the red and Cheongyang chili peppers, remove the seeds, and then finely chop. If you prefer more heat, you can leave the seeds in.
Step 4
In a blender, combine the cold cooked rice, 1.5 cups of kelp broth, 1 egg, and 1 cup of mung bean pancake mix. Blend until smooth and creamy, ensuring all ingredients are well incorporated.
Step 5
Transfer the blended batter to a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of soup soy sauce to season the batter. Using soup soy sauce adds a richer umami flavor.
Step 6
Now, add the prepared kimchi, chopped namul vegetables, king oyster mushrooms, red chili peppers, and Cheongyang chili peppers to the bowl with the batter. Gently mix everything together with a spatula until the ingredients are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 7
Heat a frying pan over high heat. Once hot, add a generous amount of cooking oil. Ladle about one portion of the batter into the pan, forming a thick pancake about 10cm in diameter. It’s important to cook quickly over high heat initially.
Step 8
Once the bottom side of the pancake is golden brown and the edges look slightly crisp, reduce the heat to medium. Carefully flip the pancake over. Cooking too quickly on high heat might leave the inside undercooked, so monitoring the heat is crucial.
Step 9
When both sides are evenly golden brown and well-cooked, add about half a tablespoon of perilla oil to the pan. Flip the pancake a few more times, allowing the perilla oil to coat it. This final step infuses a nutty aroma and creates an even crispier, more flavorful Vegetable Pancake.
