Dongnae-Style Seafood Pajeon with Rice-Flour Batter

Method

1. Cut the squid into 1 cm strips, halve the shrimp and halve only the largest mussels. Toss the seafood with the garlic, sesame oil and salt and leave it in the fridge to season. Slice both chilies into thin rings and cut the scallions to the width of your pan.

   Add in this stepSquid 60 gPeeled raw shrimp 60 gShelled mussels (or clams or oysters) 60 gMinced garlic 1 tspToasted sesame oil 1 tspSalt 1 pinchGreen chili 1Red chili ½Scallions (thick ones split lengthwise) 140 g

2. In another bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, both rice flours and the soup soy sauce, then whisk in the cold water a little at a time until smooth. It should run like milk, thinner than a regular pajeon batter. Rest it in the fridge while the seafood seasons; the rice flour absorbs water and the batter turns silky. In a small bowl, mix the gochujang, vinegar, sugar and sesame seeds into a spicy dipping sauce (chogochujang).

   Add in this stepAll-purpose flour 50 gGlutinous (sweet) rice flour 30 gRice flour 20 gSoup soy sauce (or light soy sauce) 1 tspCold water 140 mlGochujang 1½ tbspRice vinegar 3 tspSugar 1½ tspToasted sesame seeds ½ tsp

3. Heat a generous film of oil in a 26 cm frying pan over medium-high heat for 1 min 30 sec.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 2⅛ tbsp

   medium-high heat

4. Lay the scallions in two tight layers and pour on just enough batter to glue them together. Scatter the seafood and chilies evenly, drizzle with a little more batter and cook over medium heat for 3 min, until the base has set and the pancake moves when you shake the pan (pancakes: 1, cooked one at a time).

   medium heat

5. Beat the eggs well, pour them evenly over the pancake, cover with a lid and cook over medium-low heat for 4 min. This steaming step is the key to Dongnae pajeon: it cooks the thick middle all the way through. Move on when the egg is almost set on top and the seafood has turned opaque.

   Add in this stepEggs 2

   medium-low heat

6. Flip, add a little oil around the edge and cook over medium heat for 4 min. Do not press it down; you want it fluffy. It is ready when the egg side is golden.

   Add in this stepCooking oil 0.9 tbsp

   medium heat

7. Serve egg side up, cut into pieces with kitchen scissors, with the chogochujang alongside.