[Food] Gamjajun (감자전, Korean Potato Pancake)

[Food]

[Food] Gamjajun (감자전, Korean Potato Pancake)

Gangwon province (North-Eastern region of South Korea) has been a solid production region for potatoes since they were imported because more than 80% of the region's terrain consists of alpine zone, highland pasture and several basins, like the Andes.

So Gangwon province is famous for its unique potato cuisines such as Ongsimi (Potato Dough Soup). Today I bring you a very simple Korean dish with a simple recipe, Korean Potato Pancake. It is a traditional and unique dish from Gangwon province that you can easily find in any market in Gangwon province.

A mountain climber brought potato pancake dough for lunch, putting chopped zucchini into the dough

Just go into any market in Gangwon province and you will always find some booths that griddle potato pancakes on an iron plate with surrounding plastic chairs, and Makgeolli (Traditional Korean rice wine). Customers sit around the booth and enjoy pancakes with a bowl of makgeolli.

The recipe is very simple...but it can be very tough and hard work unless you have a good and sharp mandoline.

1. Wash and peel potatoes and onions, then grind them with a mandoline to create a watery dough

2. Mix potato and onion dough into a bowl, adding some salt and pepper as desired

3. Oil any flat and wide pan, and scoop as much dough as you want (the bigger the scoop the bigger the pancake) onto the pan to griddle it.

The important thing is that you manually grind it rather than using an electric blender or grinder because manually grinding helps maintain potatoes' texture, giving you a better taste when you chew the pancake. If not...well, taste it yourself...you will realize what I mean.

Anyway, nowadays you can enjoy potato pancake conveniently at home but people still visit a market in Gangwon province to taste the original recipe. Freshly-fried potato pancake has a crispy edge and soft inside with a savory taste.

If you ever visit Gangwon province in South Korea, try a potato pancake in any market, and indulge in pancake with makgeolli. Savory pancake and sweet rice wine will make you happy. A jolly chat with another visitor is a bonus :)

Bon Appétit!

[Food] Ongsimi (옹심이, Potato Dough Soup)

[Food]

[Food] Ongsimi (옹심이, Potato Dough Soup)

Ongsimi with perilla powder and sesame

Potato was imported into Korea after Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, it is very interesting it is originally from Andes Mountains of South America but eventually flowed into the Korean peninsula through Portugal and Japan. For Koreans, it was lucky that they could meet potato because it became hardy plants when people suffered from drought or when they have to go thorough harsh winter without harvested crops.

The Gaema Plateau of North Korea and Gangwon (North-East) province of South Korea could have the largest potato plantation in Korea due to its highland climate which is very similar to Andes Mountains, especially the Gaema Plateau's potato is still the best potato in the Korea peninsula today.

Ongsimi (옹심이, Potato Dough Soup) was born in Gangwon (North-East) province as potato blended into Korean food culture. Koreans love chewy texture of food and stickiness and chewy taste of potato was resulted into 'potato dough'. Somehow Koreans also found out they can process it into pancake, dough, powder etc. (likewise other cultures in the world), one of them is 'potato dough soup'.

Ongsimi is one of common and popular food in Gangwon (North-East) province of Korea

 Ongsimi is very ordinary and popular food in Gangwon (North-East) province of Korea, you can find a ongsimi restaurant very easily on the street. It is very simple to cook, prepare ongsimi dough into shape you want (Koreans usually prefer ball shape) with chopped noodle, potato and some vegetables. Then boil them in anchovy stock and done!

It tastes much better when perilla powder and sliced shiitake mushroom is added :) nutty, salty and chewy flavor of potato dough and soup amplifies the taste of ongsimi. 'Ongsimi' means 'Sphere-shaped dough' but it doesn't have to be a sphere, actually it is up to a cook or a person who makes it.

This 'ongsimi' is a 'failed sphere' but I know it would taste great no matter of its shape

So, if you are planning to visit north-east region of Korea in summer or autumn to climb Mt. Seorak or to visit east coastal area...how about tasting a dish of ongsimi? if you are potato lover, maybe it will give you new dimension of potato taste :)



Bon Appétit!