Gusto TV Pajeon – Scallion Pancake with Shrimp

Pajeon – Scallion Pancake with Shrimp (South Korea)

This Pajeon recipe—Korean scallion pancake with shrimp—delivers crispy edges, tender centers, and savory seafood in every bite, making it South Korea’s ultimate street food comfort dish. Featured on Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar, these golden pancakes combine fluffy batter, sweet shrimp, and fragrant scallions served with a spicy-sweet gochujang dipping sauce that’s pure addiction.

The Inspiration

Pajeon (파전) is Korea’s answer to the savory pancake, found sizzling at street stalls, pojangmacha tents, and family dinner tables nationwide. Translating to “green onion pancake,” this dish transforms simple pantry staples into something extraordinary—crisp exteriors give way to fluffy interiors studded with shrimp and scallions, perfect for sharing with cold beer or warm rice wine (makgeolli).

Devan Rajkumar fell in love with pajeon during his Global Street Eats travels through Seoul’s vibrant street food scene, where vendors flip massive pancakes on smoking griddles while chatting with regulars. This recipe captures that same casual perfection: easy enough for weeknight dinners, impressive enough for guests, and universally craveable.

Ingredients

For the Scallion Pancake:

1 ½ cups (360ml) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (29.6ml) potato starch
3 large eggs
1 ¼ cups (300ml) water
Salt and black pepper to taste
10 scallions cut into 4 inch long pieces
20 shrimp size 21/25, peeled and deveined and cut in half lengthwise
Vegetable oil for cooking

For the Dipping Sauce:

¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce
2 tbsp (29.6ml) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (14.8ml) gochujang Korean chili paste
2 tsp (9.9ml0 sugar
1 tbsp (14.8ml) sesame oil
2 green Thai chilis, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tsp (4.9ml) black sesame seeds
1 tsp (4.9ml) white sesame seeds

Methods

Make the Dipping Sauce:

Mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, gochujang, sugar, sesame oil, chilis, scallions, and black and white sesame seeds in a small bowl and set aside.

Make the Pancakes:

Add the eggs, water, flour, potato starch, and salt and pepper to a blender and blend to combine into a smooth mixture.
Add a thin layer of vegetable oil to an 8 inch skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer. Scatter 6 pieces of shrimp and 8 pieces of scallion across the surface of the pancake. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is golden. Flip the pancake and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until the shrimp are cooked through. Repeat with the remaining batter, shrimp, and scallions.
Cut the pancakes into triangles and serve with the dipping sauce.

Serving Suggestions

Pajeon shines as drinking food (anju) with chilled makgeolli rice wine or ice-cold Hite beer at Korean BBQ nights, casual gatherings, or rainy day dinners. Serve family-style on large platters so everyone can tear wedges and dip into communal sauce, just like Seoul street stalls. For parties, cut into smaller bite-sized pieces and arrange artfully with extra scallions and sesame. Perfect alongside Korean fried chicken, bibimbap, or grilled meats—its crispy texture cuts through rich flavors while the spicy sauce wakes up every bite.

Final Thoughts

This Pajeon recipe captures Korean street food at its most elemental yet irresistible: crispy scallion pancakes studded with sweet shrimp, served with addictive spicy-sweet dipping sauce. Devan Rajkumar’s easy version for Global Street Eats makes authentic Korean comfort food accessible to every home cook, delivering restaurant-quality crunch and flavor in under 30 minutes.

Whether sharing with friends over beer or enjoying solo with makgeolli, pajeon embodies Korea’s genius for simple, soul-satisfying food.

Find more recipes from Global Street Eats here!