Crispy Matchstick Potato Pancake - A Restaurant Inspired Twist
Crispy on the outside and tender inside, this julienned potato pancake (gamja-chae jeon) is light, golden, and full of texture. Make it vegan with carrots or add shrimp for a savory touch - either way, it’s quick, comforting, and irresistibly good hot off the pan.
Servings: 2
Ingredients
Batter
Shrimp Version
- 2 potatoes (about 11.6 oz / 330 g), julienned
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp dried shrimp (0.2 oz / 5 g), finely ground
- 1 cup shrimp , (5.3 oz / 150 g), rinsed, squeezed dry in kitchen paper, and thinly sliced diagonally (about 0.5 cm / 0.2 inch thick)
- 1/2 tsp sweet rice wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp tempura mix (Korean twigeum garu or Japanese-style)
- 2 Tbsp Korean pancake mix (buchim garu) or plain flour
- cooking oil
Vegan Version
- 2 potatoes (about 11.6 oz / 330 g), julienned
- 1/4 carrot (about 1.8 oz / 50 g), julienned
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 Tbsp tempura mix (Korean twigeum garu or Japanese-style)
- 2 Tbsp Korean pancake mix
- cooking oil
Starch Water (for filling gaps in the pan)
- 1/2 Tbsp potato starch
- 1/2 Tbsp water
Optional
- Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese , finely grated, for garnish
- Korean pancake dipping sauce
Instructions
- Prepare the potatoes. Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin matchstick strips. Don’t slice them too thin. You want them to keep a little bite. I used a mandoline slicer, which makes this step quick and even.
- Rinse the starch. Place the julienned potatoes in a bowl and rinse under cold running water to remove excess starch. Drain well.
- Lightly season the potatoes. Toss the drained potatoes with the salt, then let them sit while you prepare the other ingredients. This lightly seasons the potatoes and helps soften them just enough so they cook through and brown evenly later. (If you’re making the vegan version, add the carrots now and toss them together with the potatoes.)
- Marinate the shrimp. If making the shrimp version, toss the fresh shrimp with the sweet rice wine (mirin) and let it marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This seasons the shrimp lightly and helps reduce any fishy smell or taste.
- Mix the batter. Shrimp version: Add the dried shrimp, marinated shrimp, tempura mix, and Korean pancake mix to the bowl of potatoes. Toss until everything is evenly coated. Carrot version (vegan): Add the carrot, tempura mix, and Korean pancake mix to the potatoes. Toss well until evenly mixed.
- Cook the pancake. Add a generous drizzle of oil to a wide non-stick frying pan and heat it over medium heat. Spread the potato mixture evenly across the pan so it covers the surface in a thin, even layer. If you notice small gaps, mix the potato starch and water together, then spoon a little into the empty spots to help bind.
- Flip and crisp. Cook until the bottom turns golden brown and crisp, then carefully flip. Add a little more oil if needed and cook the other side until golden and cooked through.
- Finish and serve. Slide the pancake onto a plate. Sprinkle with cheese, if you like, and enjoy hot with a dipping sauce on the side.