Kimchi noodle pancake (kimchi buchimgae)

Here’s the ultimate weeknight quickie meal - you just need to have some kimchi and gochujang floating around and you’re set. Serve this with a simple green salad for a light, easy dinner; you could also make it as part of a larger Korean-inspired spread, to feed a crowd.

• serves

  4

• prep

  35 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 100 g thin dried rice noodles
• 350 g (1¾ cups) kimchi, drained well and chopped
• 35 g (¼ cup) gochujang (see Note)
• 5 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 75 g (½ cup) plain flour
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 2 eggs, beaten well
• 2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

Sauce

• 1 ½ tbsp honey
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 ½ tbsp clear rice vinegar
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, stir to mix well and set aside.

Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add enough boiling water to generously cover then stand for 8-10 minutes, stirring them occasionally with chopsticks to separate them, or until tender. Drain well. Using kitchen scissors, cut the noodles once or twice.

Combine the kimchi, gochujang, green onion and garlic in a large bowl and stir to mix well. Add the flour, sesame oil, sesame seeds and eggs and stir to combine well then mix in the noodles. Heat half the oil in a 22 cm (base measurement) non-stick, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat, swirling the pan to coat the base. Add the pancake mixture, using a spatula to spread it evenly. Cook for 10 minutes or until the base is deep golden.

Carefully invert the pancake onto a large plate then add the remaining oil to the pan. Slide the pancake, uncooked side down, into the pan and cook for another 10 minutes, pressing down on the pancake occasionally so it cooks evenly, or until the underside is golden and the pancake is cooked through.

Transfer the pancake to a large plate, cut into large squares, then serve with the sauce passed separately, for dipping.

Note

• Gochujang is a dark red and thick fermented Korean condiment made from sticky rice, chilli, soybeans and salt. Find it at Korean, or general Asian, food stores. 

Photography by Sharyn Cairns. Styling by Lee Blaylock. Food preparation by Tiffany Page.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.