Crispy Zucchini Pancakes (Hobak buchimgae)
Easy Korean Zucchini fritters that is great as appetizer, side dish (banchan) for any Korean meal. Serve hot or room temp. Serve with soy vinegar dipping sauce.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 large Korean Zucchini ((Hobahk) or 2 small Italian zucchini, ¼ in thick sticks (should make approx 2 C))
- 1/2 onion
- 2-3 Green Chili Peppers ((optional))
- 1/3 Cup all purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp Korean Tempura Mix ((튀김 가루 Twigim Garoo – see my yache twigim post for pic))
- 6 Tbsp water
- 1 tsp Sea Salt (Trader Joe's) ((for flash pickling))
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp vinegar
- dash of red pepper powder ((optional))
Instructions
- 1
Cut Zucchini into 1/4 in slices and then into match sticks. One zucchini should make about 2 cups
- 2
Peel and slice onion into thin slices. Similar thickness as the zucchini.
- 3
Sprinkle some sea salt (about 1 tsp per2 C) on the zucchini and toss them. Make sure the salt is evenly distributed throughout. Leave them salted for 5-7 min
- 4
Gently squeeze out excess water from the zucchini sticks.
- 5
In a large bowl, add the zucchini stick, sliced onions and then flour, water and tempura mix. Mix with your hands gently until fully mixed. The consistency should be like pancake batter or drinkable yogurt. The amount of batter should not be more than the vegetable.
- 6
On medium high, heat a non-stick frying pan or cast iron pan with about 1 ~ 2 T of oil. You can make one large pancake but also make several smaller pancakes.
- 7
Fry until the edges become brown. 3 min or so on each side but results will vary.
- 8
Turn it over when the bottom side edges become golden brown.
- 9
Add more oil (1T or more) after turning it over.
- 10
When both sides have browned, move it to a cutting board and cut the buchimgae into bite size pieces.
- 11
Best served hot with some soy sauce + vinegar sauce mixture.
- 12
Make Dipping Sauce
- 13
Make the Soy Vinegar dipping sauce by mixing 2 Tbs soy sauce and 1 Tbs rice vinegar. Optionally, you can add chopped green onions, sesame seeds and even a dash of red chili powder.