Crispy Korean Food Recipe: 보리새우 미나리전 (Barley Shrimp and Minari Pancake)
🌿 Eye-opening from the first bite! Crispy outside, tender inside 보리새우 미나리전 (Barley Shrimp & Minari Pancake) Recipe Hello!
🌿 Eye-opening from the first bite! Crispy outside, tender inside 보리새우 미나리전 (Barley Shrimp & Minari Pancake) Recipe
Hello! I'm a professional foodie and cooking blogger back with more delicious news. Everyone, has your appetite been kicking into high gear lately as the weather starts to clear up? A few days ago, when it was raining lightly, I suddenly found myself craving the fragrant scent of Minari (water dropwort). I dug through the fridge and luckily found some savory dried barley shrimp I had bought a while back, thought 'This is it!', and immediately fried up some 보리새우 미나리전 (Barley Shrimp & Minari Pancake).
Honestly, making Korean savory pancakes (Jeon) can be trickier than you think. If the batter is too thick, it becomes doughy like a rice cake; if it's too thin, it tears apart completely... However, the method I'm introducing today is truly the golden ratio itself—minimizing flour while maximizing the natural flavors of the ingredients! When I served this when friends came over to play, everyone asked, "Where did you buy this?"—the reaction was that hot. It's perfectly targeted toward the tastes of the younger generation, and of course, it has a luxurious flavor that adults can't help but love, too.
Now, shall we head to the kitchen and start making this Borisaeu Minari-jeon, where fragrance and savoriness explode? The moment you take a bite, you will surely fall in love with the refreshing taste of the Minari following the crispy texture! ✨
🛒 Ingredient Introduction (Serves 2)
The start of a delicious dish is good ingredients! Especially for this dish, the ingredients are simple, so the freshness of each one determines the taste.
- Essential Ingredients: One bunch of Minari (about 200g), one cup of dried barley shrimp, 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour (or Korean pancake mix), 1/2 cup of frying mix (for extra crispiness), 2/3 cup of cold water
- Optional Ingredients: 1 red chili pepper (for color), 1 cheongyang chili pepper (if you prefer a spicy taste), plenty of cooking oil
- Dipping Sauce Ingredients: 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 0.5 tablespoon Korean red chili flakes (gochugaru), 0.5 tablespoon oligo syrup (or honey)
💡 Cooking Pro-Tip! Choose Minari with stems that are not too thick and are tender. That way, it won't be tough and will stay crunchy. If you lightly toast the dried barley shrimp in a dry pan before using, the fishy smell flies away and the savoriness doubles! For the batter water, you must use ice water or very cold water. That is how a much crispier pancake is completed.
👩🍳 The Full Cooking Process
Okay, now let's learn the Borisaeu Minari-jeon recipe step-by-step in detail. It's really simpler than you think, so even beginners can follow along in no time!
Step 1. Prepping the Minari
First, wash the Minari thoroughly under running water. It's effective for removing any possible foreign substances if you let it soak for about 5 minutes in water mixed with a tablespoon of vinegar. After washing, shake off the water completely, then chop it into bite-sized pieces about 4-5cm long. If the stem part is too thick, lightly tap it with the back of a knife to make the texture much softer.
Step 2. Pre-treating the Dried Barley Shrimp
Lightly toast the dried barley shrimp in a dry pan over medium-low heat for just 1-2 minutes without adding any oil. Doing this brings out the unique umami flavor of the barley shrimp and flies off moisture, making the pancake much crispier when you fry it. Set the toasted shrimp aside to cool for a moment.
Step 3. Making the Batter (The Core Secret!)
In a bowl, mix the pancake mix and frying mix in a 1:1 ratio. Pour cold water in here and mix lightly. At this time, you must not stir too hard or for too long! It's okay if a little raw flour is still visible, so you should roughly mix it with chopsticks so that gluten doesn't form, ensuring a crispy texture. A batter consistency that drips slightly is just right.
Step 4. Mixing the Ingredients
Add the prepped Minari and dried barley shrimp, along with diagonally sliced red chili and cheongyang chili peppers, into the prepared batter water. The key point is to toss it lightly just enough so the batter barely coats the Minari! Think of it as the Minari and shrimp being the main characters, not the flour~ that way you get to live that healthy and fresh taste unique to home-cooked meals.
Step 5. Frying it up Crispy
Generously pour cooking oil into a pan and preheat over high heat. When a little smoke is about to rise from the pan, spread the batter out thinly on it. Korean pancakes taste best when fried as if 'deep-frying'! When the bottom starts to cook to a golden brown, reduce to medium heat. The sense to shake the pan a bit to get a little oil on the top surface before flipping!
Step 6. Finishing Golden Brown
When the edges of the pancake turn brown and look crispy, flip it in one go! Don't press down hard with the spatula; leave it alone so the air layers stay alive and the texture doesn't get ruined. Cook the other side for about 1-2 more minutes, and the fragrant and savory Borisaeu Minari-jeon is complete!
🍽️ Plating & How to Enjoy it More Deliciously
Try placing the finished pancake on a wide wooden board or a flat plate. The red barley shrimp and red chilies harmonize between the green Minari, so the visual itself is truly art! You eat once with your eyes first, and fall in love a second time with the fragrant scent spreading through your nose.
As for a drink to pair with it, I highly recommend a glass of ice-cold Makgeolli (Korean rice wine)! When the salty umami of the barley shrimp and the sweetness of the Makgeolli meet, it's truly a 'match made in heaven'. If you can't drink alcohol, it surprisingly goes well with a refreshing ade, too. If you chop up some onion or crunchy peppers into the dipping sauce, it grabs that oily taste right out of the pancake, allowing you to eat delicious until the very end.
✨ In Closing
Today I introduced Borisaeu Minari-jeon, which is one of my treasured recipes; it's really simple, right? Honestly, I've found that cooking doesn't require grand ingredients. With just fresh Minari in season and umami-packed barley shrimp, your home becomes an immediate waiting-list restaurant!
If you have any leftovers, put them in an airtight container, store in the fridge, and the next day just run them in the air fryer at 350°F (180°C) for about 3-5 minutes. It becomes crispy again just like it was just fried. However, it's so delicious there probably won't be any leftovers. (laughs)
On a weekend evening, how about having a happy time with loved ones with this delicious home-cooked meal menu? I'll be back next time with a more delicious and trendy recipe! If you have any questions, leave them in the comments~ Please try making it, it's truly highly recommended! ❤️
