although my korean food journey began with bowls of stone pot bibimbap in restaurants, i owe the bulk of my learning and appreciation to my korean friends. i have many happy memories of cooking for each other, swapping recipes from our childhoods and stories of our mothers.
those who are fans of my sourdough discard okonomiyaki know i’m a lover of savory pancakes. i’ve adapted this kimchi pancake recipe from maangchi, a true cooking legend. instead of flour and water, sourdough starter discard acts as the primary binder.
the tangy, funky, sourdough discard pairs beautifully with the tangy, funky kimchi. with only 8 ingredients and a 3 minute cook time, these pancakes are super easy, quick, and fun to make.
bonus: they’re vegan! just be sure to grab a vegan kimchi like sinto gourmet or chi kitchen. most store bought brands have seafood of some sort. you can also make it yourself if you’re feeling bold.
notes
the texture of this batter should resemble pancake batter. if it feels runny, add in all purpose flour until it reaches a firmer consistency.
this batter makes enough for two 8″ pancakes. feel free to modify the size of your pancakes! smaller ones will be easier to flip.
lastly, please adjust the recipe to suit your starter’s hydration. i have a stiff starter at 80% hydration. for help, my sourdough hydration math post and calculator explains how to calculate adjustments.
as a quick example, if your starter is 100%, the batter may come out too runny! to adjust, decrease sourdough discard amount to 130 g, and add an additional 20 g of all purpose flour.
sourdough discard kimchi pancakes (kimchijeon)
formula
- 140 g kimchi
- 80 g onion, chopped (about 1/4 of a medium onion)
- 2 scallions, chopped
- 8 g kimchi brine (~2 tbsp)
- 8 g soy sauce (~2 tbsp)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 g sugar (1/2 tsp)
- 150 g sourdough discard
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, vegetable or canola per pancake
method
- combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl, except the sourdough discard.
- add the sourdough discard, and mix again until mixture becomes batter-like.
- heat 1 tbsp of neutral oil in a 8-10" sized skillet on high heat until oil sizzles.
- pour 1/2 of the batter into pan. spread out evenly into a pancake shape. cook for about 90 seconds, until side is golden brown.
- using a thin spatula, first loosen edges. then, slide spatula underneath pancake and flip over onto the other side. cook the second side until golden brown, about 90 seconds again.
- slide pancake carefully onto a plate or a cutting board. let cool slightly before slicing and eating. repeat with second pancake.
- top optionally with sesame seeds and more chopped scallions. serve with dipping sauce of your choice.
Yum!
Brilliant!
This is a revelation. I never would have thought of using discard in kimchi pancakes, but it (somehow) works. Your discard is probably 80%, so one has to make small adjustments to brine and discard amounts to get the right batter consistency.
Many thanks.
The perfect marriage of flavors! Two fermented things that taste great together. Plus, since all the gluten is nice and moist, the pancake has a great texture. What a cool idea! Ours tasted great. Thanks!
Tried this out today and it was DYNAMITE. Thanks so much for posting!
I’ve done many variations but THIS recipe was the BEST! Thank YOU!