Gamja Jeon (Crispy Korean Potato Pancake)

Peel the potatoes and grate them with the onion, using a box grater or blender.

~5 min

Why: The onion slows browning and adds a subtle sweetness.

Pour the mixture through a fine strainer. Keep the solids in one bowl and the liquid in another — do not toss the liquid. Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes.

~3 min

Carefully pour off the water on top, leaving the white starch that settled at the bottom of the bowl.

~1 min

Why: That potato starch is the natural glue and the source of the chewy texture — the secret to making this with zero flour.

Watch out: Dump the liquid whole and the pancake falls apart — always recover the settled starch.

Mix the grated potato solids, the starch, and the salt.

~1 min

Heat a generous layer of oil in a pan. Spread the batter thin and cook over medium-low heat for 4 minutes.

~4 min

Watch out: High heat burns the outside while the inside stays raw and bitter — for this pancake, medium-low heat all the way through.

Flip once, then cook 3 to 4 more minutes until the edges are crispy.

~4 min

Why: One flip plus plenty of oil — the formula for crispy outside, chewy inside.

Serve with the soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

~1 min