The land of Korea is almost 70% hills and mountains, so it is only natural that very many Koreans enjoy hiking in their free time. Growing up in Seoul, I used to go up hiking into the small hills or mountains around Seoul with my parents. Although I am not necessarily athletic and didn’t necessarily love the hard work of hiking itself :P, I really miss going out to the mountains to enjoy mountain food. Most Korean mountain food is normally vegan, so apart from being delicious, that’s another reason for us to love it.
Despite Koreans love for hiking, you’ll hear many Koreans joke about how hiking isn’t really about hiking itself — it’s really all about the mountain food, such as namul dishes, pancakes, acorn jelly, and rice wines that go with the mountain food (makgeoli or dongdongju). When Bill and I visited Gyeongju, one of Bill’s favorite memories was eating at the mountain food restaurant right under the beautiful Bulguksa temple. I remember getting some fresh namul dishes along with some pancakes. So yum.
Anyway, one my of my very favorite mountain foods is Gamja-jun (감자전) – potato pancakes. It is such a simple flavor, and yet sooo good. You dip potato pancakes in a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, and green onions (or white onions). Koreans eat a lot of pancakes when it rains too; you’ll see a ton of families cooking onion pancakes or potato pancakes when it rains in Korea. Neighbors often get together to enjoy pancakes when it rains as well.
It rained in the late afternoon today here in Indiana (rain that was much needed!), and I felt like it would be so nice to go hiking in one of the mountains in Seoul, and get some mountain food. I miss that so much. So I made Gamja-jun! Chewy, crispy, crunchy and yummy gamma-jun – here you go! 😉
Gamja-jun (Korean Potato Pancakes) Recipe!
Pancake Ingredients:
5 big potatoes
several pinches of salt
some chopped veggies (such as chives, zucchini, pepper, green onions, etc.)
1 tbs of potato starch (optional)
Sauce Ingredients:
soy sauce
vinegar
pinch of gochugaru
sesame seeds (add sesame oil if you’d like as well)
chopped green or white onions
Directions:
1. Add the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into cubes. Matchstick chop the veggies and set in a separate bowl.
3. Put the potato cubes into a food processor and process it. If you want it to be chewy and soft, thoroughly process it so it’s very soft. If you want it to have some more texture, grind it so it’s less soft.But either way, it has to be a pretty creamy texture when you grind it.
4. Put it in a strainer/cheese cloth so the liquid comes out. I like to use a cheese cloth because it’s just a lot faster that way. The less watery it is, the crunchier it will be; if you leave some liquid, it will be chewier and softer!
5. Once you let the liquid sit for a couple of minutes, you’ll find that some potato starch has settled at the bottom of the bowl. You want to throw out the water and then mix the settled potato starch back into your batter (optional: you can add a spoonful of packaged potato starch if you’d like your pancake to have a chewier texture).
6. Add the matchstick veggies and several pinches of salt to the batter.
7. Heat your pan on medium-high heat, add a good amount of vegetable oil to your pan to cover the bottom of the pan and use a spoon to scoop in either several small circles of pancake batter or a single large pancake. Cook the pancake until the bottom is browned and then flip and cook the other side. You want your pancakes to be golden yellow or brown so they are crispy.
8. Serve with the sauce (and some makgeoli or dongdongju if you are having it as drinking food).Yum… so easy and so good. Enjoy!
Here we have processed the potatoes so the gamja-jun will be softer.
Strain the potatoes in a cheese cloth to get out the water. Leave more water in for a chewier pancake, less for a crunchier pancake.
Add salt and whatever vegetables you are using and mix. I used Korean zuchhini and green onions today.
Add the batter to a heated pan with oil. You can make small or large pancakes.
Flip the pancakes when they have browned on the bottom.
When both sides are golden brown, they are ready to eat. Yumm….
Serve with the dipping sauce.
Mmm……, so yummy and satisfying – crispy and chewy gamja-jun on a rainy day (with a bowl of makgeoli!) 😛
FAQs
Potato pancakes have a creamy, almost mashed-potato-like center, with a thin, golden, crisp exterior. Latkes, on the other hand, should have a deeply browned crust, with wispy, lacy edges. Latkes also aren't hash browns.
Why are my potato pancakes gummy? ›
Get That Moisture Out.
Using a kitchen towel or paper towel, wring out as much moisture as possible. If you don't drain the moisture, they won't crisp as easily and that may be why your potato pancakes are gummy.
Why aren't my potato pancakes sticking together? ›
If the potato pancakes are falling apart while you're shaping them before you start cooking, they are either either too wet or they need more flour to hold them together. You can also mix the flour a little more the mix to develop gluten and then let it rest before cooking.
Why are my potato pancakes mushy? ›
Potato pancakes may turn out mushy if there is too much moisture in the potatoes or if the batter is too wet.
What type of potato is best for latkes? ›
Russet potatoes: Russet potatoes, or baking potatoes, are high in starch and have a dry, mealy texture. This type of potato is best for latkes because the dryness of the potato is partially responsible for that desirable, crispy texture. Yellow onion: Yellow onion adds a savory flavor to the latkes.
Why do Jews eat potato latkes on Hanukkah? ›
These potato pancakes (called latkes) are meant to symbolize the miracle of Hanukkah, when the oil of the menorah in the ransacked Second Temple of Jerusalem was able to stay aflame for eight days even though there was only enough oil for one day. The symbolism comes in the form of the oil in which latkes are fried.
Why are my vegan pancakes gummy? ›
With oat-based pancakes, overmixing oat flour batters can make them turn gummy, so mix just until moistened and blended. Let the batter rest. Make sure to let the pan heat up while the batter sits. Doing so will result in fluffy pancakes that are cooked through and not underdone or gummy in the middle.
Why are my potato pancakes GREY? ›
After peeled or grated potatoes are exposed to air they will begin to turn gray or brown. This appearance can be off-putting, but the good news is that the quality of the potato isn't compromised. This is a harmless natural reaction and it is perfectly fine to cook and eat potatoes even if they have turned gray.
How do you reheat potato pancakes so they are crispy? ›
– Always serve latkes hot and fresh if possible.
When ready to reheat, place in a 375 degree oven for about 10 minutes (7 if using a convection oven) until heated through just prior to serving. A convection oven setting will produce a more crispy result.
Can you fry latkes in olive oil? ›
Option 4: Olive Oil (Your Last Resort)
(Basically, olive oil can't be heated as hot as other oils without breaking down, which makes food taste burned). If you're frying with olive oil, keep the temperature low as latkes can burn and turn bitter, according to Salamon.
What can I do to keep the potato batter from turning brown? A: When shredding the potatoes be sure to add some acidity (such as a teaspoon of white wine vinegar or concentrated lemon juice to the water. This is one dish where doing the prep work the night before can ruin the meal.
Can you reheat potato pancakes? ›
Drain pancakes on paper towels and serve immediately or on a cooling rack to freeze later. TO FREEZE AND REHEAT LATKES: Fry but until light golden - not too dark, cool and freeze immediately. Reheat frozen latkes at 425 degrees on a cookie sheet for 10-20 minutes or until heated through and crisp.
How do you thicken mashed potato pancakes? ›
Add a Thickening Agent
This is the most common way to thicken mashed potatoes. You can use what you have on hand: Flour, cornstarch, or powdered milk are all solid options that are probably already in your pantry. Potato flour and potato starch would work as well.
How do I keep my pancakes fluffy? ›
5 Tips for Fluffier Pancakes
- Allow the Batter to Rest. A good rule of thumb when you're wondering how to make fluffy pancakes is to let the batter rest. ...
- Beat the Egg Whites. Separate your yolk from the egg white then beat to create a fluffy pancake. ...
- Don't Over Mix! ...
- Wait for the Bubbles. ...
- Follow a Good Recipe.
When you grate raw potatoes, you release starch that can cause them to oxidize, or turn dark. The best way to keep that from happening is to cover the potatoes with cold water, then drain them very well and pat them dry before cooking.
Are potato latkes the same as hash browns? ›
PSA: Latkes are not the same as hash browns. 📣 Easy way to remember: you grate potatoes for latkes, you shred them for hashbrowns.
Are latkes just hash browns? ›
Hash browns are shredded potatoes, fried (or air-fried), til golden brown. They typically remain loose, or in shreds. Latkes, a.k.a potato pancakes, are grated or ground potatoes that are mixed with egged, flour, or other binding agents. They are one piece, like a pancake.
What is another name for potato pancakes? ›
A latke is a small pancake usually made with grated potatoes. Latkes are traditionally eaten during Hanukkah. Most latkes are crispy little potato pancakes that are served with apple sauce or sour cream during the eight days of Hanukkah.
Why do they make potato pancakes on Hanukkah? ›
During the Jewish holiday, eating crispy, fried, slightly oniony potato pancakes represents perseverance, and a little bit of magic. But miraculously it lasted eight days. Centuries after the fact, Jews were told to celebrate by eating foods cooked in oil.
