Kimchi Pancake

(photo courtesy of Closet Cooking)

I am always trying to use the ingredients that I already have on hand.  Call it laziness or call it thrift, it always baffles me how the pantry can be full but there is nothing to eat.  That is why when I saw a recipe in the Times for a kimchi pancake, I knew I had to make it. I love Korean food and, while I didn't have kimchi in the cupboard already, I did have everything else.  To make the pancake, it takes so few ingredients and so little time that I ended up making it twice in one week.

Simply mix together flour and potato starch, equal parts.  Then add an egg (we only had egg whites on hand - adding the equivalent amount didn't pose a problem).  I thinned it out with a tiny bit of water, too. Then, add the remainder of the ingredients - scallion, garlic, pepper and kimchi.  I did my best to cut the kimchi without making too much of a mess. The batter turns a funny pink.

Then heat up some oil and fry the pancakes (this recipe will make 3).



Because of the potato starch, the pancake gets very stiff, making for easy flipping.



Make sure to double or triple the dipping sauce recipe - it's really delicious and goes great over rice the following day.