Savory Perilla Leaf Pancakes with Melted Cheese
A Special Cheese Perilla Leaf Jeon Recipe to Delight Your Husband
Using leftover ground meat mixture from making kid-friendly side dishes, these perilla leaf pancakes are fragrant and delicious, combining the aromatic taste of perilla leaves with gooey, savory cheese. You’ll find it hard to stop at just one! Perfect as a quick snack, appetizer, or a flavorful side dish with rice. (｡・//ε//・｡)
For the Perilla Leaf Pancakes- Gouda cheese, 3 slices (cut into long, thin strips)
- Pancake mix (buchim garu), 200g
- Eggs, 3 (for egg wash)
For the Ground Meat Filling- Ground beef, 200g
- Ground pork, 300g
- Finely chopped assorted vegetables (from your fridge), a little
- Firm tofu, 1/3 block (drained and mashed)
- Egg yolk, 1
- Pancake mix (buchim garu), 100g (to bind the filling)
- Salt, 0.5 Tbsp (to season the filling)
Seasoning- Salt, 0.5 Tbsp
- Ground beef, 200g
- Ground pork, 300g
- Finely chopped assorted vegetables (from your fridge), a little
- Firm tofu, 1/3 block (drained and mashed)
- Egg yolk, 1
- Pancake mix (buchim garu), 100g (to bind the filling)
- Salt, 0.5 Tbsp (to season the filling)
Seasoning- Salt, 0.5 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the delicious ground meat filling for our perilla leaf pancakes. In a bowl, combine 200g of ground beef and 300g of ground pork. Add finely chopped assorted vegetables from your refrigerator (like onion, carrot, scallion). Mix in 1/3 block of firm tofu, squeezed dry and mashed, 1 egg yolk, and 0.5 Tbsp of salt. To help bind the filling, add 100g of pancake mix. Knead all these ingredients together until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined. (Tip: You can use leftover ground meat mixture from making ‘donggeurang ttaeng’ for an even quicker preparation!)
Step 2
Wash the fragrant perilla leaves thoroughly. Gently pat them dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture, as this will ensure a crispier pancake. Place the long, thin strips of Gouda cheese onto each perilla leaf. The rich, savory cheese will beautifully complement the fresh, herbaceous flavor of the perilla leaves.
Step 3
Next, place a portion of the prepared ground meat mixture onto each perilla leaf, over the cheese. It’s important not to make the filling too thick, as this can prevent the inside from cooking evenly. Gently press down with your fingertips and spread the mixture thinly and broadly over the perilla leaf. This even layering ensures that the filling cooks thoroughly and adds to the overall deliciousness of the pancake.
Step 4
Carefully fold each perilla leaf in half, creating a crescent moon shape, similar to a dumpling or a rolled sushi. Lightly coat the folded perilla leaf on all sides with pancake mix, shaking off any excess. Then, dip the coated leaf into the beaten eggs, ensuring it’s fully covered with the egg wash. This egg coating will help the pancake become golden brown and crispy when fried.
Step 5
Now it’s time to cook them to a beautiful golden brown! Heat a frying pan over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil. Carefully place the egg-washed perilla leaf pancakes into the hot oil. Cook slowly over low heat. Once one side is golden brown, gently flip it over and cook the other side until equally golden and crisp. Keep the heat low to ensure the filling cooks through without burning the exterior. Flip occasionally for even cooking.
Step 6
Once cooked, cut a savory perilla leaf pancake in half to reveal the delicious cross-section. You’ll see the melted Gouda cheese oozing out, creating an incredibly appealing sight! The combination of the aromatic perilla leaves, the rich, melted cheese, and the savory filling is simply divine. Enjoy these cheese-filled perilla leaf pancakes immediately while they are warm for the best flavor and texture.
