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Yukhoe is the Korean version of steak tartare, consisting of thinly sliced beef marinated in soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and sugar. The concoction is then seasoned with salt and pepper. The dish is always served with a raw egg yolk on top, while thinly sliced Korean pear is an often-seen addition served on the side.
The name of the dish is derived from two words: yuk, meaning meat, and hoe, meaning sashimi. No one is yet sure about the origins of yukhoe, but some say it originated in China, while the others claim it was first served at the Korean Royal Court.
MOST ICONIC Yukhoe
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Jeon, also known as Korean pancakes, represents a number of pancake-like dishes in Korean cuisine that are often served as appetizers, side dishes, or consumed as snacks. Although jeon are typically prepared in savory versions, there are also some sweet varieties of these flavorful pancakes.
At their simplest, it is food that is first coated in flour and eggs, then pan-fried in oil. Jeon incorporates ingredients such as thinly sliced meat, poultry, seafood, and various vegetables. The pancakes are traditionally prepared every year during the Korean Lunar New Year and Korean Harvest Festival, although they are eaten daily throughout the year.
VARIATIONS OF Jeon
MOST ICONIC Jeon
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Gamjajeon is a type of Korean pancake prepared with grated or puréed potatoes, while some varieties may include scallions, chives, carrots, or onions. The pancakes are usually small and round and should be pan-fried until perfectly crispy on the outside.
They make for an excellent snack, side dish, or an appetizer, as well as a light main course. Gamjajeon are usually served with choganjang dipping sauce that combines soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water, or optionally gochujang chili paste, chili flakes, and sesame seeds.
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Pajeon is a variety of jeon (Korean pancakes), made with a batter of rice flour, eggs, and green onions (pa), the key ingredient in this dish, hence the name. It is a popular snack or an appetizer that is usually served with rice and a combination of soy sauce and vinegar, used as a dipping sauce.
There are endless variations of the dish prepared by adding other ingredients to it, such as vegetables, kimchi, or seafood. The pancakes, which are easily recognizable by the green onions sticking out from all sides, can either be cooked as small discs or one large pancake that is then cut into individual portions.
MOST ICONIC Pajeon
View moreIn its simplest form, this South Korean pancake incorporates sliced kimchi, preferably ripe version, with a simple flour batter. The dish belongs to a wide group of jeon—savory Korean pancakes—and it is easily adapted with various ingredients such as chili paste (gochujang), ground meat, or other vegetables.
The pancakes are occasionally served with a dipping sauce on the side and may come sprinkled with sesame seeds. They are usually enjoyed as a quick, filling snack or an appetizer, but they can also be served as a main course or a side dish.
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Haemuljeon is a traditional dish originating from South Korea. This type of jeon (pan-fried battered food) is made with a combination of seafood, scallions, eggs, flour, and oil. Seafood such as mussels, oysters, squid, shrimp, and clams are cut into bite-sized pieces and then mixed with the scallions, eggs, and flour.
Once battered, the mixture is pan-fried in hot oil on both sides until the pancake turns golden brown on both sides. Haemuljeon is served hot with a dipping sauce on the side. The dipping sauce usually consists of soy sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, sugar, and black pepper.
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Hobakjeon is a traditional dish originating from South Korea. The dish is usually made with a combination of thinly sliced zucchini, flour, eggs, oil, and salt. The zucchini slices are sprinkled with salt, dredged in flour, dipped in beaten eggs, and cooked in oil over low heat on both sides until lightly golden brown.
Once done, hobakjeon zucchini fritters are often served with rice and soy-sauce-based dipping sauces on the side. Although the dish can be made any time of the year, it's especially popular in summer, on New Year's (Seollal), and on Korean Thanksgiving Day (Chuseok).
These South Korean meatballs are usually prepared with a combination of tofu and minced beef or pork. Sometimes a combination of both beef and pork can be used, and additional ingredients typically include onions, garlic, and seasonings, as well as finely diced carrots and scallions.
Before frying, the meatballs are shaped and flattened and then coated in flour and egg wash. Although they are a common everyday dish, wanjajeon are also regularly enjoyed on Korean New Year and Chuseok—traditional harvest festival. They are quite versatile and can be served as a main course, side dish, snack, or an appetizer, usually with a dipping sauce on the side.
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Guljeon is a traditional dish originating from South Korea. This type of jeon (pan-fried battered food) is made with oysters. Other ingredients include eggs, rice wine, salt, pepper, flour, scallions, and oil. The oysters are shelled, rinsed, drained, and coated with flour before they're dipped in a mixture of beaten eggs, rice wine, salt, pepper, and scallions.
Once battered, the oysters are pan-fried in oil on both sides, then served hot with a dipping sauce on the side.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Mujeon is a traditional dish originating from South Korea. This type of jeon (pan-fried battered food) is made with radish as the main ingredient. The radish is thinly sliced, cooked in vegetable stock, and each piece is cut in half. The slices are sprinkled with salt, dipped in batter consisting of flour, salt, and stock, and then fried in hot oil in a skillet until both sides are golden brown.
Once fully cooked, mujeon is served while still hot, ideally with rice or soy-vinegar dipping sauce on the side.
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