Quick Seafood Pajeon
When you need a hot, crispy comfort meal that feels fancy but takes less than 30 minutes of effort.
Listen, I get it. Some nights you just want something warm and satisfying without spending an hour over the stove. These seafood pajeon are your secret weapon. They offer that perfect crunch on the outside with a soft, savory center. By using pre-shucked shrimp and frozen peas (which you can just toss in), we strip away the fuss while keeping all the flavor. It’s basically a savory pancake upgrade—crispy, salty, and deeply satisfying. It feels like a treat, but it's actually very low-effort for those 'I'm too tired to think' kind of nights.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp — peeled and deveined
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cup ice cold water
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 cup scallions — thinly sliced
- 0.5 cup carrots — grated or julienned
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 3 tbsp neutral oil — for frying
Method
- 1 In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and grated ginger.
- 2 Gradually add the ice-cold water to the flour mixture, whisking until mostly smooth. Don't worry if there are tiny lumps; it shouldn't be as smooth as a cake batter.
- 3 Stir in the sliced scallions, shredded carrots, and the shrimp.
- 4 Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet or non-stick pan over medium-high heat.
- 5 Pour a ladle of the batter into the hot pan and spread it out into a circle about 8 inches wide.
- 6 Fry for about 4 minutes until the edges look crispy and the bottom is golden brown.
- 7 Carefully flip the pancake (you can use a large plate to help flip) and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
- 8 Drizzle the remaining oil around the pan before flipping to ensure even browning.
- 9 Slide onto a plate and serve immediately while hot.
Variations
- Vegetarian Swap — Swap the shrimp for sliced shiima mushrooms and extra zucchinied ribbons.
- Speedy Prep — Use a pre-mixed vegetable medley from the frozen section to skip the chopping of carrots and scallions.
Notes
The secret to a crispy pajeon is using ice-cold water; it prevents the gluten from over-developing, keeping the pancake light rather than chewy. If you can't find fresh ginger, a pinch of ground ginger works too.
Equipment that helps
- Cast iron skillet — Provides excellent heat retention for getting that signature crispy edge on the pancake.
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