Korean-Style Stuffed Perilla Leaf Pancake (Kkaenip Jeon) Recipe
Korean-Style Stuffed Perilla Leaf Pancake, or Kkaenip Jeon, is a savory and flavorful dish featuring perilla leaves stuffed with seasoned ground beef and aromatic vegetables. These delightful pancakes are pan-fried to a crispy finish and served with a tangy vinegar soy dipping sauce, making them perfect as an appetizer or side dish for fans of Korean cuisine.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 stuffed perilla leaf pancakes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients
Stuffed Pancake
- 20 perilla leaves, cleaned and dried
- 1.1 lbs ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small carrot, minced or chopped small
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1-inch knob ginger, minced
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Vegetable oil for frying
Vinegar Soy Sauce Dipping Sauce
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes, coarse
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- Chopped small red chili (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef with minced garlic, carrot, shallot, and ginger. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, chicken bouillon powder, and sesame oil. Mix thoroughly to blend all flavors evenly.
- Add binding agents: Incorporate the whisked eggs and cornstarch into the meat mixture, ensuring it is well combined and holds together for stuffing.
- Stuff the perilla leaves: Place a perilla leaf flat on a working surface. Spread a spoonful of the meat mixture evenly onto the leaf and gently fold or wrap to secure the filling without tearing the leaf.
- Heat the pan: Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and heat over medium heat until it’s hot but not smoking, to ensure even frying and a crispy texture.
- Fry the stuffed leaves: Place the stuffed perilla leaves seam side down in the pan. Fry for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until the meat is cooked through and the leaves are crispy and lightly browned.
- Drain excess oil: Transfer the fried stuffed leaves to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any excess oil and keep them crisp.
- Prepare the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochugaru, sesame seeds, and optionally chopped red chili. Stir well to combine the flavors.
- Serve: Arrange the stuffed perilla leaf pancakes on a serving plate and serve warm with the prepared vinegar soy dipping sauce on the side for dipping.
Notes
- Perilla leaves are delicate; handle gently to avoid tearing when stuffing.
- You can substitute ground beef with ground pork or a mix of beef and pork for variation.
- Adjust the amount of gochugaru in the dipping sauce to suit your desired spice level.
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy sauce.
- Ensure the pan is hot enough before frying to prevent the pancakes from becoming greasy.
