Garlicky Pork-And-Asparagus Pancakes
Submitted by donica052
Garlicky pork and asparagus pancakes, savory Asian-style egg pancakes loaded with ground pork, scallions, and fresh asparagus. Served with a sesame dipping sauce.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
30 minREADY
40 minThese pancakes sit somewhere between a Korean jeon, a Chinese egg fu young, and a savory breakfast stack, borrowing the best parts of each. An egg-heavy batter cradles stir-fried ground pork, scallions, garlic, and chopped asparagus, then gets fried in small ¼-cup rounds that crisp at the edges and stay custardy in the middle.
The pork mixture must cool completely before folding into the batter. Hot filling cooks the eggs from the inside on contact, and you end up with scrambled pork instead of pancakes. Patience here matters.
Sesame oil does double duty in the stir-fry, adding a nutty undertone that runs through every bite. A bright dipping sauce brings the whole dish together at the table.
Chef Tips
- Do not brown the pork. Stir-fry until just cooked to keep the meat juicy. Browning toughens it inside the pancake.
- Cut the asparagus into ¼ inch pieces so the tips fold flat into the pancakes without poking through.
- Use a ¼ cup measure for each pancake so they cook at the same rate. Uneven sizes mean some overcook while others are raw.
- Keep cooked pancakes warm on a wire rack in a low oven, never covered. Covering traps steam and the crisp edges go soft.
Variations
- Swap asparagus for shredded cabbage or grated zucchini depending on the season.
- Add a teaspoon of grated ginger to the stir-fry for extra warmth.
- Mix a spoonful of gochujang into the dipping sauce for Korean heat.
Ingredients
Directions
SIFT THE FLOUR, SALT, PEPPER and 2 teaspoons of the sugar into a large bowl.
Make a well in the center and pour the eggs into it. Stir just enough to combine the ingredients.
In a medium skillet set over moderate heat, stir-fry the pork, scallions, and two-thirds of the garlic in the sesame oil for 8-to-10 minutes, until the pork is no longer pink; do not brown the meat.
Add the asparagus, toss for 1-or-2 minutes over moderate heat, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, except the vegetable oil, to make a dipping sauce.
When the pork mixture is cool, stir it into the reserved batter.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over moderately high heat until ripples show on the skillet bottom.
Half fill a ¼ cup measuring cup with the batter and drop the batter into the hot oil, evening up the ragged edges of the pancake.
Add 3 more pancakes to the skillet, smoothing the edges as before, and brown them for 1-to-1½ minutes per side.
Drain them on paper towels, then keep them warm on an uncovered platter in a 250 degrees F oven.
Fry the rest of the pancakes, adding more vegetable oil to the skillet if needed.
Serve the pancakes hot with the dipping sauce.
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