Haemul Pajeon (Korean Seafood & Scallion Pancake)

Thaw the seafood and press it firmly dry with paper towels.

~5 min

Watch out: Water from the seafood is the number-one cause of a soggy pancake — drying it well is half the dish.

Cut the scallions to the width of your pan and dust them lightly with dry pancake mix.

~2 min

Stir the ice-cold water into the pancake mix as little as possible to make a thin batter.

~3 min

Why: Cold batter, plenty of oil, one flip only — the three rules of restaurant-level crispiness.

Heat a generous amount of oil in the pan, lay down the scallions, and pour a thin layer of batter over them.

~2 min

Scatter the seafood evenly on top, then drizzle the beaten egg over everything.

~2 min

Cook over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes, then flip in one confident motion once the bottom has firmed up.

~5 min

Watch out: Flip too early and the seafood's weight tears it apart — lift with a spatula to check it is firm, then commit to one flip.

Press down on the flipped side as it cooks another 3 to 4 minutes.

~4 min

Why: Pressing bonds the seafood to the batter so it does not fall off.

Serve with the soy-vinegar dipping sauce.

~1 min