The scallion pancake Ji-young prepares in episode 7 of Bon Appétit, Your Majesty is Dongnae pajeon, a regional dish from Busan. Netflix lists the installment as “Dongnae Pajeon on a Rainy Day.”
The home recipe below makes a crisp scallion pancake, with an optional shrimp or squid addition. Its wheat-flour batter and uncovered frying method differ from Dongnae’s softer regional preparation; these are not the drama’s exact recipe quantities.
Pajeon, Seafood Pajeon and the Dongnae Style
Pajeon is a savory scallion pancake. Haemul means seafood, so haemul pajeon names the seafood variation. Dongnae refers to the Busan district associated with a regional style.
The Korea Tourism Organization’s Dongnae entry describes seafood, scallions and egg, with a moist, soft texture from cooking that resembles steaming. Dongnae-gu’s food guide describes rice and glutinous rice flours mixed with stock, cooked in a thick pan with a lid.
Adding seafood to the simple recipe below makes seafood pajeon; reproducing the regional Dongnae method requires a different batter and cooking approach.
Ingredients for the Home Version
For one rectangular pancake, roughly 6 × 7 inches:
- About 10 scallions, washed and drained
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup water
- 1 teaspoon doenjang, Korean soybean paste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- About 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the dipping sauce, mix 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Add chopped onion or chili if wanted.
How to Cook the Scallion Pancake
- Cut scallions into 5-inch lengths. Stir flour, water, doenjang and sugar into a smooth batter.
- Heat a nonstick pan, add the oil and arrange scallions side by side. Pour batter evenly over them and press gently with a spatula.
- When golden underneath, flip and brown the other side. Turn once more and cook for another minute, then serve hot with the sauce.
How to Add Seafood
Add 115 g, about 4 oz, of chopped peeled shrimp, cleaned squid or a mixture. Spread it over the scallions before pouring on the batter, then use the frying sequence above.
A frozen seafood mix also works. Thaw and drain it well, keep the pieces small, and cook the seafood through. Check the filling as well as the crust; a golden underside alone does not establish that the center is done. Reduce the heat if the outside browns too quickly.
Getting the Texture You Want
For crisper edges in this home version, drain the scallions thoroughly, use icy water for the batter and keep enough oil beneath the pancake. Split thick white scallion ends lengthwise so they cook more evenly.
Prepare the sauce before frying so the pancake can go straight to the table. If you want small dishes alongside it, our banchan guide explains the side-dish options.
