Gim Buchimgae
Gim Buchimgae is a fast, crispy Korean pancake packed with sweet spring onions and the toasty umami of roasted seaweed. The edges fry up golden and crackly, while the center stays lightly chewy, perfect with a sharp soy-vinegar dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Pancake batter
- 4 gdried roasted seaweed sheets, crumbled
- 80 gspring onions, thinly sliced into 4-5 cm lengths
- 70 gplain flour
- 20 gcornstarch
- 1 large (50 g without shell)egg
- 110 mlcold water
- 2 gfine salt
- 15 mlneutral oil, for frying
Dipping sauce
- 20 mlsoy sauce
- 10 mlrice vinegar
- 5 mlsesame oil
- 3 gtoasted sesame seeds
- 1 gred chilli flakes
Instructions
- 1
Prepare all ingredients first so the pancake cooks quickly: crumble the seaweed sheets into small flakes and slice the spring onions. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, and chilli flakes for the dipping sauce; set aside.
- 2
In a mixing bowl, whisk the plain flour, cornstarch, fine salt, egg, and cold water until just smooth. A few tiny lumps are fine; overmixing can make the pancake less crisp. Fold in the spring onions and crumbled seaweed so they are evenly coated.
- 3
Heat a 24-26 cm nonstick or well-seasoned frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add the neutral oil and swirl to coat. Pour in the batter and spread it into a thin, even round. Press the onions down lightly so they contact the pan and crisp rather than steam.
- 4
Cook for 3-4 minutes, shaking the pan once or twice, until the underside is deep golden and crisp at the edges. Flip carefully and cook the second side for 2-3 minutes more until set and crisp. If needed, lower the heat slightly to prevent scorching before the centre cooks through.
- 5
Transfer to a board and rest for 1 minute so the crust stays crisp when cut. Slice into bite-size pieces and serve immediately with the dipping sauce alongside.
Nutrition per serving
Notes
- •Cold water helps the batter fry up lighter and crisper.
- •Cornstarch improves crunch; if unavailable, use the same weight of plain flour, though the texture will be slightly less crisp.
- •For best results, do not make the pancake too thick; a thin layer gives the classic crisp-chewy contrast.
- •This pairs well with kimchi, a simple cucumber salad, or a bowl of rice for a light meal.
Background
Buchimgae are Korean pan-fried savory pancakes made with a simple flour batter and various vegetables or seafood. Gim buchimgae uses roasted seaweed, a pantry staple in Korean homes, to add a deep savory flavor and delicate crispness. It is a quick, homestyle dish often enjoyed as a snack, side, or casual meal.
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