Leek and squid fritter with Korean Pajeon sauce

“リークとイカのチヂミ風フリッター”

I make this recipe when I have a sudden craving for the Korean savoury pancake “Pajeon” or as we call it in Japan, “Chijimi”. I never failed to order this when I was eating in Shinokubo, the most famous place to eat Korean food in Tokyo. It’s crispy outside, lightly sticky inside, and has a great flavour of Chinese chives and seafood, served with a tangy soy dipping sauce.

I have decided to arrange this dish as fritters to make it a casual finger food or snack for a gathering and I have also decided to substitute the Chinese chives with leeks as they are much more obtainable here. The grated potato in the batter mixture helps to get the characteristic satisfying texture of Pajeon.

Ingredients (serves 2)

For the fritters

Leek 100g (cut into 5cm long thin strips)

Squid 80g (separate the tentacles and body, remove the body skin and cut into rings)

Potato 50g (grated)

Plain flour 40g

Egg 1

Water 4 tbsp

Salt and pepper a pinch

Oil for frying

For the dipping sauce

Soy sauce 3 tbsp

Sesame oil 1 tbsp

White wine vinegar 1 tbsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Fresh red chilli desired amount (chop finely)

Onion 10g (chop finely)

Garlic 1 clove (chop finely)

White sesame seeds

1. Combine the ingredients of the dipping sauce and leave it in the fridge for about 1 hour, it will help the flavours to blend together.

2. Mix the ingredients of the fritters together and chill it in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Take the mixture out of the freezer before it gets frozen, and fry it in oil while it is ice cold.

3. Pour the frying oil into a small pot up to 5cm deep and heat the oil to 170C. Spoon up the mixture and drop in the oil, fry both sides for about 2 minutes each. The squid will burst when it reaches a high temperature, you can protect yourself from any splash of oil by covering half of the pot with a lid.

4. Drain the oil well and serve with the dipping sauce.

“リークとイカのチヂミ風フリッター”

韓国のチヂミが無性に食べたくなり、ニラの代わりにイギリスで手に入りやすいリークを使い、フィンガーフードとして気軽につまめるフリッターにアレンジしたレシピです。じゃがいもの摩り下ろし生地に加えて、チヂミっぽいモチモチ、サクサク食感を出しています。

材料　2人分

フリッター用

リークまたはネギ　100g (長さ5cmの細い紐状に切る)

イカ　100g (脚と胴体は切り離す。胴体は皮を剥ぎ輪切りにする。)

じゃがいも　50g (磨りおろす)

小麦粉　40g

卵　1

水　大さじ4

塩コショウ　ひとつまみ

揚げ油

タレ用

醤油　大さじ3

ごま油　大さじ1

お酢　大さじ1

砂糖　小さじ1

生唐辛子　お好みの量 (みじん切り)

玉ねぎ　10g (みじん切り)

ニンニク　1片(みじん切り)

白ごま

1. タレの材料を混ぜて、冷蔵庫で１時間以上寝かせる。こうすると味が纏まります。

2. フリッターの材料を混ぜ合わせて、冷凍庫で10分ほど冷やす。凍る前に取り出して冷たいうちに油で揚げます。

3. 小さい鍋に深さ５cmほど油を入れ、170Cに熱します。スプーンで生地をすくって油の中に落とし、途中でひっくり返して両面2分ほど揚げます。イカは高温に達すると爆発するので、鍋の半分ほどを蓋で覆い、油の飛び跳ねに注意してください。

4. 油をよく切りタレと一緒にサーブします。