kimchi fritters – tasted a bit like sawdust

by Michelle February 17, 2014

written by Michelle February 17, 2014

Every now and then I’ll read a recipe that looks awesome then decide I’ll serve it without testing it at a dinner party. And every now and then it’s a complete FAIL! Holy smokes these little suckers were bad. They looked great, were chocked full of healthy tasty ingredients but turned out to be dry and tasteless. If it weren’t for the dipping sauce, I probably would have had to perform the Heimlich maneuver on one of my guests!

So to my incredibly patient – this isn’t the first time these gals have choked down one of my blind tastings – and trusting foodie pals, I LOVE that you keep happily accepting a place at my, forever experimenting, table. xo

To avoid hurt feelings, I’ve omitted my source…

Kimchi Fritters slightly adapted from…

1 tablespoon plus ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder) or crushed red pepper flakes
4 ounces ground pork (about 1/3 cup)
3 finely grated garlic cloves, divided
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 cups dried peeled split yellow mung beans, soaked for 3 hours or up to overnight
1 1/2 cups (packed) chopped cabbage kimchi, excess liquid squeezed out
1 red Thai chile, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

THE STEPS:

Mix 1 tablespoon scallion, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, and gochugaru in a small bowl – set aside.
Mix pork, half of grated garlic, sesame oil, and remaining 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a small bowl.
Chill for 30 minutes.
Drain beans, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid.
Purée beans and 1/2 cup soaking liquid in a blender
Add more water by tablespoonfuls if necessary, until mixture is a thick and slightly chunky.
Transfer to a large bowl and add ½ cup scallions, remaining grated garlic, kimchi, and chilli to bean purée and mix well.
Season batter with salt.
Stir in pork mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large non-stick over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, drop ¼ cupfuls of batter into skillet, flattening each fritter out to 3″ rounds.
Cook, until fritters are golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve pancakes with dipping sauce