Korean sweet potato jeon
Thin sweet potato rounds with a light flour-and-egg coating, gently pan-fried until tender and golden. A simple Korean snack without a sticky sugar glaze.
Ingredients
2 servings
Everyday kitchen measurements
For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).
How to fill the cup and spoons
Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.
King Arthur Baking-
Essential
Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.
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Substitute available
If Plain wheat flour is unavailable
- Use instead
- Plain rice flour
- Substitute quantity
- 3 level tablespoons (about 27 g)Reference quantity: 27 g
Replace the wheat flour with the same spoon volume. Dust the dried slices thinly, then dip in egg as usual. The coating will be slightly crisper and more delicate.
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Essential
Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.
-
Essential
Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.
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Optional
May be omitted without changing the other quantities.
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Essential
Needed for this version; use the listed amount at the stated step.
Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.
Step-by-step cooking
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Step 1
Scrub and peel 2 small sweet potatoes, about 300 g total. Trim the ends and cut into even rounds about 3 mm thick on a stable board. Keep the slices thin so the centres cook evenly; use a sharp knife carefully rather than forcing thick pieces apart.
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Step 2
Bring 6 small paper cups water (1,080 ml) to a boil. Add the slices and blanch for 2–3 minutes, just until a fork begins to enter the centre; they should hold their shape. Drain well, spread on a clean tray, pat dry and cool for about 5 minutes. Wet slices make the coating slide off.
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Step 3
Beat 2 eggs in a shallow bowl until the whites and yolks are fully blended; add the optional small pinch of salt, no more than ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g). Put 3 level tablespoons plain flour (about 24 g) on a separate plate. Use clean utensils for the egg mixture.
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Step 4
Lightly coat each dried slice with flour on both sides and shake off the excess. Dip it into the beaten egg, lift with a fork and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Coat only enough slices for the next panful; do not pile wet coated slices on top of one another.
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Step 5
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Lay in half the slices without overlapping; cook about 2–3 minutes per side until golden, the egg is fully set and a fork passes easily through the centre. Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and slices. If they brown before turning tender, lower the heat and cook another 1–2 minutes. Serve warm; discard leftover raw egg and coating flour.
Finished dish
Small paper cup = 180 ml; level tablespoon = 15 ml; small teaspoon = 5 ml. Makes 2 snack portions. Contains egg and wheat; the rice-flour alternative removes wheat from the coating only. Refrigerate within 2 hours at 4°C or colder, eat within 2 days and reheat thoroughly. Cut into suitable pieces and cool before serving to children.
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Enjoy every bite
How to enjoy it
Serve warm with sikhye or cinnamon-ginger sujeonggwa. The sweet potato supplies its own sweetness, so an extra sugar coating is unnecessary.
Serve it with
Simple cinnamon ginger punch (sujeonggwa)
A simple home version of the Korean cinnamon-and-ginger drink. Brown or white sugar both work, and the dried persimmon and pine-nut garnish can be left out.
Easy rice-cooker sikhye (sweet rice drink)
A small batch of Korean sweet rice drink using plain cooked rice, active barley malt and a rice cooker. About 25 minutes of hands-on work; warm holding and chilling take several hours.