Korean Scallion Pancakes

From the garden

• 2 bunchs green onions, trimmed, cut to fit your skillet
• 1 medium carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
• 1 fresh hot chile, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 clove garlic, grated · for the dipping sauce

From the pantry

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch · this is where the crisp edge comes from
• 6 tbsp neutral oil · divided; the pan should stay generously slicked
• 3 tbsp soy sauce · for the dipping sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar · for the dipping sauce
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil · for the dipping sauce
• ½ tsp red pepper flakes (or gochugaru) (optional) · for the dipping sauce
• salt · to taste

1. Whisk the flour, cornstarch, and half a teaspoon of salt with three quarters of a cup of ice water until just smooth, then let it sit while you cut the vegetables. Cold, loose batter fries crispest.
2. Stir the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, grated garlic, and pepper flakes together in a small bowl and set the dipping sauce aside. It should taste sharp and salty enough to make you blink.
3. Fold the green onions, carrot, and chile into the batter. There should be barely enough to coat them: pajeon is scallions held together by batter, not batter with a few scallions in it.
4. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, then spread in half the mixture, straightening the onions so they all lie in one direction. Fry undisturbed 4–5 minutes, until the underside is lacy and deep gold.
5. Flip, press flat with a spatula, and cook 3 minutes more, adding oil down the side of the pan if it looks dry. Repeat with the rest, cut into wedges, and serve hot with the dipping sauce and rice.