A Recipe from Korea: Nokdu Jeon (Mung Bean Pancakes)

by Hyeseon

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Rice is considered Koreans' staple food, so most traditional Korean meals include a bowl of rice, usually with no spice. That's why we make various side dishes which match with rice harmoniously. We have many kinds of desserts, also made with rice flour: rice cake, popped rice, sweet rice puffs, etc. Unlike Koreans, Canadians do not use rice as the main ingredient in their daily lives, so they prefer flour over rice.

The cuisine I am going to introduce is called Bindeatteok or Nokdu Jeon which is made with mung beans. Mung beans is 'Nokdu' in Korean and I've loved this dish since I was very young. I used to go my grandparents' house to perform ancestor worship ceremonies twice a year, and Nokdu pancake was one of my favorite food. When my grandmother made this food, I usually watched how she made and helped her with making it. So, here is the recipe of Nokdu Jeon( Mung bean pancakes). 

Appliances:

-a blender, a mixing bowl, a spatula, a pan

The list of ingredients:

For the mung bean paste

- 2 cups(12oz/340g) of dried, peeled, split, mung beans

- 2 cups and 1/4(540ml) of water

For the rest of ingredients for Nokdu Jeon

- 1 cup of ripe Kimchi -> slice thin(or chopped)

- 1 handful of fresh bean sprouts -> blanch(just for 1min.) and squeeze excess water

- 3 slices of pork belly( or bacon)

- some green onions

- a pinch of salt

- splash of sesame oil

- lots of vegetable oil for frying

For dipping sauce:

- 2 tablespoons of soy sauce

- 1 tablespoons of chopped green onions

- 1 tablespoons of (rice or apple)vinegar or lemon juice

- a pinch of sugar and chili powder

=> Just mix all the ingredients well in a small bowl!

How to make Nokdu paste:

- Soak peeled split mung beans in water at least 3 hours or overnight.

- Put the mung beans in a blender and add enough water to just cover the beans. Then, grind them well and add some glutinous rice   flour. Mix well.

- Cut all the ingredients thinly (or chop them).

- Mix the all ingredients until well combined in a big bowl and add some salt.

How to make Nokdu Jeon:

- Heat 2T oil on medium heat in a frying pan. When the pan is hot, pour the mung bean mixture as much as you want on the pan (You   can decide the size whatever you want! I recommend one scoop for each pancake.)

- While pancake is cooking, top with few bean sprouts, one or two piece of pork belly, and some green onion( If you like spicy food, you can also top with some chopped green or red chili)

- Once the edge is brown, turn over, and press with a spatula. When it is cooked, dab the top of Nokdu Jeon with a splash of sesame oil using a brush or a spoon.

- Serve your cuisine with some dipping sauce and after that, it's ready to eat! ENJOY ! 

'맛있게 드세요!'🇰🇷🍽

Important vocabulary for this recipe:

-handful

-blanch

-squeeze

-splash

-dip

-soak

-combine

-scoop

-top with

-dab