Tai-spied Korean scallion pancake

A while back I posted about some scallion-pancake type things I created in a moment of desperation and inspiration. While they were pretty delicious, there were no real measurements, limitations to ingredients (when are there ever?) and they could have used a little work in the texture department. Then I discovered Maangchi. Her recipe for Panjeon (and freakin' adorable video*) got me craving this doughy-scallion concoction all over again.

I would love to forage in the park with this lady.

The first change to my recipe I needed to make was to use a grain flour rather than the whole grain. This would instantly solve solve my textural problem and also eliminate the need for any binder (a.k.a flax egg). I chose to use oat flour because I really liked the taste of oats mixed with the scallions last time I made these. You could also use brown rice, chickpea or whole wheat flour if happen to have those. I like that Maangchi used miso paste instead of salt to add flavor. However, when you boil miso paste or put it under high heat, it looses all the nutritional properties it contains do to fermentation. Boiling the miso paste kills all the useful bacteria. I decided to add some miso paste to the dipping sauce instead, in order to keep the beneficial properties intact. I also altered the original recipe by adding lots of hot peppers to the mix. I've been trying to incorporate a new spice into one meal a day. Today it was a handful of Tai cayenne peppers for a kick of color and heat tossed in!

Tai Cayenne Peppers

Scallion Pancakes:

1 bunch of fresh scallions (a.k.a green onions)

1/2c oat flour (or any flour you like)

1/2c water

pinch of salt

Tai cayenne peppers (optional and to taste!)

Begin by placing 1/2 cup rolled oats into a blender and pulse until it turns into a flour consistency. Add any fresh herbs you like to the flour mix (cayenne peppers in my case) and a pinch of sea salt. Get your pan ready by putting the flame on high heat.

Add oil of choice (I used olive oil spray) and then add your scallions. Saute for a few minutes until they begin to brown and soften a bit.

Then add the water to the flour, wisk together and pour over the scallions. Make sure to keep the mixture moving so that it spreads evenly. Keep pressing the batter down with a spatula so that it seeps through the cracks and reaches the bottom of the pan. Once it crisps up a bit, flip it so that its scallion side up. Continue to press the pancake down onto the pan and flip every so often until it is crispy and brown. Serve with some spicy lime dipping sauce (see recipe below).

These ended up being a completely different kind of pancake, but absolutely delicious! And I'm also happy I got to incorporate another type of hot pepper ;)) You could totally add in any extra veggies (like I did last time) but I like the simplicity of this dish. I served mine up with some steamed broccoli for some extra green goodness! It tasted really great with the dipping sauce too (which I obviously poured all over everything)

Dipping sauce:

2T Braggs Liquid Aminos

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1t miso paste

1t raw honey (optional, but if you do use, try to get the good stuff-local, raw, creamed ;)

1 garlic clove

sesame seeds

1t daikon, grated (optional-buuut it helps to cut the fat of fried food :)

chili pepper flakes (optional)

leftover steel-cut oat and broccoli scallion pancakes

I have been so crazy busy this week-between looking for a roommate, searching for an apartment and then signing the lease (I literally feel like I batted an eye lash and all this happened)-I have been so exhausted. Too exhausted to even go food shopping or cook food! (I know! And those are like, my two favorite activities!!)

So when I went to take a dinner break from sorting/ packing all my stuff, I didn't really have much to work with. I was actually craving falafel, or something similarly warm and crispy, but I didn't have ANY of the ingredients needed to make falafel:( What I did have was a big container of steel-cut oats I cooked up the week and a random array of vegetables. I just kinda grabbed whatever looked good and started mixing things together with the intention of making some sort of stir-fry or veggie burger. The outcome of concoction tasted JUST like the scallion pancakes I used to eat from the chinese restaurant near my house when I was younger-only wayy better (less greasy + more flavorful)

just like take-out, only better

Here's what I mixed together. The measurements are complete estimates because I just used what was leftover!

~1c steal-cut oats, cooked and cooled

~1/3c daikon radish, grated (or chopped, but I like to grate my veggies with a cheese grater, which is obvi not ever used for cheese;)

~3 scallions, chopped (white part included) plus leave some aside for a super-shmansy garnish

~1/4 broccoli florets, chopped into tiny pieces, excluding the stems (sorry stems!)

-1T ground flax seed mixed with 2T water, set aside to turn into a gel

-1T brown rice flour, or whatever flour you have on hand (all purpose would work)

-1 pinch of cumin

-1 pinch of cayenne or other spiced pepper (I used a lot because I love heat)

-salt and pepper to taste

-olive oil for pan (although cooking spray would work if you are trying to cut down on oil)

Mix all the oats and veggies in a bowl. Then add your spices and binders (flax "egg" and flour) While the oil is heating in the pan, use your hands to form a ball of the "dough" and then plot it into the pan. Let it crisp up a bit before using a spatula to flatten it into a pancake shape. Cook until both sides are crispy and brown, about 8 minutes total, depending on the size of your flame and how crispy you like it (or how hungry you are.) Serve with some chopped fresh scallions on top. Viola!

This would make a great appetizer to go with an asian stir-fry. Wow, I should really go grocery shopping!