Nutritious and Delicious Spinach Pancakes (Sigeumchi Jeon)
Learn how to make flavorful spinach pancakes, packed with iron, calcium, and magnesium. This is a simple and healthy Korean savory pancake recipe.
This recipe for spinach pancakes is as easy and delicious as spinach soup or seasoned spinach. Enjoy this nutritious and satisfying side dish or snack made with fresh spinach.
Ingredients- Fresh spinach, 120g (washed thoroughly)
- Korean pancake mix (buchim garu), 4 Tbsp (approx. 60g)
- Salt, 0.5 tsp (approx. 3g)
- Red chili pepper, 1 (for garnish and flavor)
- Cooking oil (generous amount)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 120g of fresh spinach. Wash the spinach thoroughly under running water multiple times to remove any dirt or debris. Using fresh spinach will significantly enhance the flavor of your pancakes.
Step 2
Place the washed spinach into a blender. Add a very small amount of water (about 1-2 Tbsp) to help the spinach blend smoothly. Be careful not to add too much water, as this can make the batter too thin.
Step 3
Turn on the blender and process the spinach until it’s completely smooth and pureed, with no chunks remaining. Aim for a consistency similar to a smooth vegetable puree.
Step 4
Transfer the pureed spinach to a large bowl. Rinse the blender with a little water to catch any remaining spinach mixture and add it to the bowl. This ensures no batter is wasted. Now, add 4 heaping tablespoons of Korean pancake mix. Using a spatula or chopsticks, mix the spinach and pancake mix together until well combined and there are no lumps.
Step 5
Add about 0.5 teaspoon of salt to season the batter. You can adjust the amount based on your preference after tasting. The natural sweetness of the spinach combined with the slight saltiness of the pancake mix creates a delicious batter.
Step 6
Prepare the red chili pepper for garnishing the spinach pancakes and adding a touch of flavor. Remove the seeds from the chili pepper and slice it thinly into small rounds or desired shapes.
Step 7
Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Spoon about one tablespoon of the batter per pancake onto the hot pan. For a better texture, aim for slightly thick pancakes rather than very thin ones. Cook each side for about 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Step 8
Once one side is golden brown, carefully place the prepared red chili pepper slices on top of the pancake. Then, using a spatula, gently flip the pancake. Lightly press down with the spatula to ensure the chili peppers don’t fall off, and cook the other side until it’s also golden brown and cooked through.
Step 9
The red chili peppers not only make the spinach pancakes visually appealing but also add a hint of spicy flavor. Dip the well-cooked spinach pancakes into a simple soy sauce dip (a mixture of soy sauce, vinegar, and a pinch of sugar) for an incredibly savory and mild taste experience. You won’t detect any ‘green’ taste from the spinach. It’s highly recommended to serve and enjoy them while they are warm!
