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This delicious Korean perilla leaf pancake recipe is also called kkaenip jeon. Kkaenip means perilla leaf, and jeon means pancake. It is a savory pan-fried pancake made with a meat filling, dipped in egg, and then pan-fried. This recipe is an easy and quick Korean dish that can be used to complete a meal or eaten as a snack.
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What is a Perilla Leaf?
The healthy perilla leaf is a popular choice for wrapping meat at barbecue restaurants all over Korea. The leaves are part of the mint family and are related to shiso leaves. We don't typically find perilla leaves in the USA as a default option for KBBQ places due to their acquired herbal taste. However, for those who enjoy potent flavors, they are something worth trying!
What Does Perilla Leaf Taste Like?
I first tasted perilla leaves in South Korea years ago while teaching English at a public school. On our first night together, my co-teachers took me out to one of their favorite KBBQ restaurants and ordered lots of perilla leaves for ssam. Ssam in Korean means "wrap," and there are plenty of leafy options to wrap cooked meat at KBBQ restaurants. I immediately fell in love with its unique flavor - fresh, herbal, strong, and with a hint of licorice. I wanted to learn more about how to incorporate it in other dishes! Thankfully, this specific leaf is commonly used throughout Korean cuisine, and this perilla leaf pancake recipe quickly became a go-to.
Why You'll Like Perilla Jeon
Perillas (in Korean, kkaenip) are very robust leaves, and they taste wonderfully hearty when mixed with meat. Perilla jeon is a fried dish that combines the concept of meat with perilla leaves. The leaves are stuffed with ground meat, brushed with cornstarch, and dipped in egg before being fried. You end up with a savory, meaty, herbal pancake (or jeon).
Ingredients
- Perilla Leaves
- Minced Garlic
- Ground Pork
- Shallot
- Ginger
- Carrots
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Soy Sauce
- Chicken Powder
- Sesame Oil
- Eggs
- Cornstarch
- Vegetable Oil
Substitutes
- Perilla Leaves: Perilla leaves have become a staple at grocery stores. But you can opt for shiso leaves if you can't find them. They will be smaller so you should buy more of them.
- Shallot: You can use half of a medium to large onion in place of the shallots.
- Ginger and Carrot: The ginger and carrot in this recipe add more flavor to the meat filling, but you can leave them out.
- Cornstarch: All-purpose flour or potato flour make suitable substitutes for this recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Snip Stems: Snip the stems off the perilla leaves before washing and drying. They can have a bitter after taste.
- Make Sure Perilla Leaves Are Dry: Dry the perilla leaves as thoroughly as possible to prevent splattering with hot oil from the frying pan.
- Use a Brush: A small silicone brush will make brushing cornstarch on the perilla leaves a more effortless and cleaner process.
- Set Up a Prep & Cook Station: Creating a prep and cooking system for making perilla jeon will help you be more efficient.
How to Make Perilla Jeon
- Mix the perilla jeon filling until it is thoroughly combined.
- Take a cleaned perilla leaf and spread a spoonful on one half of the leaf.
- Fold the other half over the meat filling and dust the leaf lightly with the cornstarch.
- Dip the perilla leaf in the egg mixture and fry on one side for 2 minutes, then flip and fry the other side.
How to Serve Korean Perilla Pancake
Perilla jeon is best served as soon as you cook it, as it maintains its crispy texture and vibrant flavors when fresh. However, once they cool, they still make a delicious snack for grazing. They can even be enjoyed cold or at room temperature, making them a perfect addition to lunch boxes or picnics.
I also included a simple dipping sauce for the perilla jeon in the recipe card below, which perfectly complements their savory profile. Feel free to mix things up by adding a splash of vinegar or a sprinkle of sesame seeds to the dipping sauce for an extra kick! Don't forget that these pancakes can also be reheated in a skillet to restore some of their original crispiness if you have leftovers. Enjoy!
Variations
You can transform this perilla jeon into a vegetarian version by substituting the meat with crumbled and drained extra-firm tofu. You should also replace the chicken powder with vegetable powder. This healthy and satisfying recipe is perfect for meatless meals, providing a delightful blend of textures and flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kkaenip means perilla leaf in Korean. The most notable difference between the two is that kkaenip jeon is a stuffed pancake (usually with meat) whereas regular jeon such as kimchi jeon, is a flat pancake made of mixed ingredients.
Sesame leaves and perilla leaves are completely different. A sesame leaf is a lot more bitter than perilla's aromatic, herbal flavor. You also won't see the actual sesame leaf used in Korean cooking. Shiso and perilla leaves are related, but shiso has a stronger minty and herbal flavor profile than perilla. It is also notably smaller than perilla leaves. You can use it as a substitute for this recipe, but you may need to double or triple the number of leaves.
Kkaenip jeon is usually only slightly crispy from the combination of the egg and cornstarch just after cooking. The filling holds a lot of moisture and will seep out through the leaf, so it gets softer as it cools.
Stuffed Perilla Leaf Pancake (Kkaenip Jeon)
Disclosure
The equipment and ingredients sections contain affiliate links to products I love to use as well as items that I personally believe make this recipe the best version of itself.
Ingredients
- 20 perilla leaves cleaned and dried
- 1.1 lbs ground beef and pork mix
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small carrot minced or chopped small
- 1 small shallot minced
- ginger 1-inch knob, minced
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 pieces eggs whisked
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- vegetable oil for frying
Vinegar Soy Sauce Dipping Sauce
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon gochugaru Korean red pepper flakes, course
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
- chopped small red chili optional
Instructions
- Add the ground beef and pork, garlic, ginger, shallot, carrot, brown sugar, salt, chicken powder, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a bowl. Mixed everything together until well combined.
- Very lightly, dust some cornstarch on the dark shiny side of the leaf. This will be the inside of your wrap. Add a spoonful of the meat mixture to one side of a piece of leaf.
- Fold the empty side over the meat side. Dust some cornstarch lightly on the outside. Repeat these steps for the rest of the leaves and set it aside.
- Repeat the steps above until all the leaves are filled.
- Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk. Prepare a frying pan by heating it with a thin layer or spray of vegetable oil. Dip a stuffed leaf into the whisked egg and fry it in the heated pan.
- Cook the stuffed leaves on one side for 2 minutes, then the other side for 2 minutes. The leaves will shrink.
- Place the leaves in a paper towel line plate to drain the oil and serve while they are still warm.
Make Dipping Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, vinegar, sesame seeds, Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru), and chopped small red chili in a bowl. Mix together until well combined. Serve with kkaenip jeon.
Nutrition
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