Korean Vegetable Pancakes with Sesame Cucumbers
Crispy at the edges, tender in the middle, and packed with scallions and colorful vegetables, these savory Korean-inspired pancakes are the kind of dinner that feels a little fun without requiring much work. The cool, tangy sesame cucumbers are exactly what you want alongside, and the dipping sauce brings it all together. Add shrimp if you want, or keep them completely vegetable-forward. I could happily eat these straight from the skillet.
Servings: FOUR
INGREDIENTS
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup ice-cold club soda
1 large egg
2 teaspoons tamari
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 bunch scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 small zucchini, cut into thin matchsticks
1 medium carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-size pieces (optional)
Dipping Sauce
3 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Sesame Cucumbers
2 English cucumbers, sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons tamari
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
PREPARATION
Make dipping sauce: Whisk tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Make sesame cucumbers: Toss cucumbers with rice vinegar, tamari, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. Set aside while you make pancakes.
Make batter: Whisk gluten-free flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a large bowl. Add club soda, egg, tamari, and garlic and whisk just until combined.
Add vegetables: Fold scallions, zucchini, carrot, and bell pepper into batter. Fold in shrimp, if using.
Cook pancakes: Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add about 1/4 of batter and spread into a thin, even pancake. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden and crisp underneath. Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining oil and batter to make 4 pancakes.
Plate: Cut pancakes into wedges and serve hot with dipping sauce and Sesame Cucumbers alongside.
Notes:
For the crispiest pancakes, keep the club soda very cold and mix the batter just until combined. You can also omit the egg!
Spread each pancake fairly thin in the skillet. A thinner pancake gives you crisp edges and keeps the vegetables from making the center heavy.
If adding shrimp, cut it into small pieces so it cooks through in the same time as the pancake.
