Oyster and Napa Cabbage Pancake: A Perfect Harmony of Sweet Winter Cabbage and Fresh Oysters!
Recipe for Delicious Oyster and Napa Cabbage Pancakes using Winter Cabbage and Oysters
This recipe introduces a delightful Oyster and Napa Cabbage Pancake, made by generously adding fresh oysters to sweet and crisp winter napa cabbage. It’s uniquely delicious, tasting somewhat like an oyster pancake and also like a cabbage pancake. Even without many special ingredients, the natural sweetness of the cabbage and the rich flavor of the oysters combine to create a wonderful meal or a perfect accompaniment to makgeolli (Korean rice wine).
Main Ingredients- 5 sheets of Napa cabbage (not too large)
- 1 cup fresh oysters (plump ones)
- 1 cup pancake mix (buchim garu)
- 1 cup cold water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, in a large bowl, combine 1 cup of pancake mix and 1 cup of cold water. Whisk them together with a whisk or chopsticks until the batter is smooth and lump-free. Using cold water helps achieve a crispier pancake.
Step 2
Prepare the Napa cabbage leaves: wash the 5 cabbage leaves thoroughly, pat them dry, and then thinly slice them lengthwise. It’s best to remove the tough core and use only the softer leaf parts for a more tender texture. Slicing them not too thinly will give a pleasant chewiness when cooked.
Step 3
Add the sliced cabbage to the prepared batter and gently mix with chopsticks until the cabbage is evenly coated. Do not add the oysters yet.
Step 4
Prepare 1 cup of fresh oysters. Instead of rinsing them under running water, it’s better to wash them in a bowl of water by gently swirling them. Carefully remove any shell fragments or impurities with your fingers. Rinse them about twice until clean. After washing, drain the oysters in a colander to remove as much water as possible, as excess moisture can make the pancake soggy.
Step 5
Gently add the drained oysters to the batter mixed with cabbage. Handle them carefully to avoid mashing the oysters.
Step 6
Now, gently mix the batter so that the oysters and cabbage are well combined. Mix carefully to prevent the oysters from breaking apart, and your delicious cabbage and oyster pancake batter is ready.
Step 7
Heat a pan over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Ladle a portion of the batter onto the pan and spread it thinly. Make sure the oysters and cabbage are not overlapping too much, so they cook evenly and become crispy.
Step 8
Once one side is golden brown, flip the pancake and cook the other side until it’s also golden brown and crispy. Pan-frying for about 4-5 minutes in total will result in a delicious Oyster and Napa Cabbage Pancake. It’s best enjoyed immediately while warm!
