Korean Potato Pancake Gamjajeon

Savoury pancakes anyone? When we thought we had one too many pancake recipes in the book we found out these Korean Potato Pancakes, Gamjajeon. And now we are able to drag the pancake glory into lunch and dinner! 

These super easy Korean pancakes are a quick dinner or lunch option. We need three simple and really affordable ingredients, potatoes, onions, and nori flakes. And just a few other things for the dipping sauce we are preparing to make everything extra yummy.

When I first tried this recipe I was so impressed that these pancakes are made from simply potatoes. Sometimes grated, sometimes pureed but just potatoes. You will find some recipes that add scallions or chives, even carrots. But they are usually pretty basic.

I use a food processor to grind the potatoes but you can use a shredder if you don't have a processor.  Then, we simply make the patties and then fry them. So, If you are a beginner in the kitchen or if you are looking for recipes that kids can help with, these easy Korean pancakes are for you.

It's really that easy! There are a few things to consider though. First of all, make sure that after you've grated the potatoes you take as much water out as possible. My kids love to squeeze the potatoes with their cute little hands, they think it is so much fun. And then they help me make the patties/pancakes.

Once you have the pancakes ready it is time to fry them. For this step, I suggest you fry them on medium to low heat. Otherwise, we risk burning them on the outside while they remain raw on the inside. Not good, so low heat and a bit of patience will make the perfect vegan Korean pancakes. 

For this easy Korean pancake recipe, I also added nori flakes. I wanted to have a bit more flavour and nori flakes are a super-easy way to do so. And, with all honesty, this was my attempt to add some extra nutrients to the recipe. Fried skinned potatoes are not the healthiest thing you can eat but nori is an excellent source of nutrients. So there's a bit of balance there. 

We are also making an incredibly delicious sweet Korean dipping sauce. It is super easy to make and it perfectly complements the taste of potatoes and nori flakes combined. It's slightly sweet, it has a little bit of a spicy kick that you can adjust to make it more interesting. But most importantly it has all the Korean flavours we love. 

At home, we all love these vegan Korean pancakes so much. And I have this recipe as a backup plan for whenever I drop the ball planning for dinner or lunch. Or when we need a quick meal that's both delicious and super easy to make. I'm sure that you and your family will absolutely love this dish as much as we do!