Korean Vegetable Pancake (Yachaejeon) 🇰🇷

Western Australia has a small community of Korean migrants and I don't know any of them other than my hairdressers, a husband and wife team who have been looking after my head of hair for years.  During my regular visits, we would talk family, travel and food.  This recipe is from a video by popular Korean cook Maangchi (see link on bottom of recipe) who explains things very well in spite of her accent and I find her engaging on screen.  We have here a delicious way of using up vegetables lurking in your fridge.  I follow Maangchi's original recipe and use her selections to make up the 2½ cup of vegetables.  You can experiment with other vegetables, but don't skip the flavourful spring onions or the one mushroom for decorative purpose. You will love biting into crunchy vegetables embedded in the hot cake served with a soy and vinegar dipping sauce.  This recipe is for one large beautiful pancake, but you can also make two smaller ones if preferred.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

• 2½ - 3 cups raw vegetables:
• 3-4 spring onions, sliced into 5cm / 2" sections
• ⅓ cup sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced into matchsticks
• ½ cup zucchini, thinly sliced into matchsticks 
• ⅓ cup onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• ⅓ cup leek, thinly sliced into 5cm / 2" lengths  
• 1 jalapeño chilli, sliced thinly into rings (optional)
• 1 white or brown mushroom, sliced
• ¾ cup plain flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¾ cup water
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Dipping sauce:

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon Korean red chilli powder (optional)
• 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

METHOD

1. Toast sesame seeds in a small saucepan over low heat for a minute or so to release their flavour.  Remove from heat to cool.
2. Make the dipping sauce by combining all the ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Place all the vegetables, except the sliced mushroom, into a large mixing bowl.  Add salt and water.  Combine all ingredients with a wooden spoon.
4. Heat two tablespoons oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium high heat and swirl it around to coat the surface of the pan.  Transfer the vegetable mix into the pan and spread them out evenly into a thin layer with a spatula.  
5. Turn the heat down to medium and place mushroom slices on top.  Gently press them in with a spatula.
6. Let the pancake cook undisturbed for about 3-4 minutes until browned on one side.  Flip the pancake over and increase the heat to medium high.  Add 1 tablespoon of oil around the edge to help brown the other side.  Tilt the pan slightly to let the oil flow underneath the pancake.  Let it cook for 3 minutes, occasionally pressing down with the spatula.
7. Flip the pancake over one more time and cook for another minute.
8. Transfer the pancake to a plate with the side showing the mushrooms facing up.  Serve hot with the dipping sauce. 

Source (with adaptations): Maangchi