Gamjajeon
Encyclopedia
Gamjajeon is a variety of jeon
, or Korean style pancake
, made by pan-frying finely grated potato
on a frying pan
with any type of vegetable oil until golden brown. Potatoes were introduced in Korea in 1824 through Manchuria
and have been cultivated mainly in the hills and mountain ranges of Gangwon Province
, with gamjajeon becoming a specialty of that region. Gamjajeon is traditionally made with only potato, salt, and oil. According to taste, the grated potato may be supplemented with finely shredded potatoes, carrots, onions or scallions, sliced mushroom
s, or garlic chives
, which adds color and crunchy texture to the dish. Gamjajeon can also be garnished with shredded fresh red and green chili pepper
. It is served with a dipping sauce
called choganjang (초간장), made of soy sauce and vinegar.
Jeon (food)
Jeon , buchimgae, jijimgae, or jijim refer to many pancake-like dishes in Korean cuisine. It has been also called jeonyueo or jeonyuhwa, especially in Korean royal court cuisine. Sometimes, jeonya is used as an abbreviated term for the two...
, or Korean style pancake
Pancake
A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side...
, made by pan-frying finely grated potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
on a frying pan
Frying pan
A frying pan, frypan, or skillet is a flat-bottomed pan used for frying, searing, and browning foods. It is typically in diameter with relatively low sides that flare outwards, a long handle, and no lid. Larger pans may have a small grab handle opposite the main handle...
with any type of vegetable oil until golden brown. Potatoes were introduced in Korea in 1824 through Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and have been cultivated mainly in the hills and mountain ranges of Gangwon Province
Gangwon-do (South Korea)
Gangwon-do is a province of South Korea, with its capital at Chuncheon. Before the division of Korea in 1945, Gangwon and its North Korean neighbour Kangwŏn formed a single province.-History:...
, with gamjajeon becoming a specialty of that region. Gamjajeon is traditionally made with only potato, salt, and oil. According to taste, the grated potato may be supplemented with finely shredded potatoes, carrots, onions or scallions, sliced mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
s, or garlic chives
Garlic chives
Garlic chives, Allium tuberosum, is a vegetable related to onion. The plant has a distinctive growth habit with strap-shaped leaves unlike either onion or garlic, and straight thin white-flowering stalks that are much taller than the leaves. The flavor is more like garlic than chives. It grows in...
, which adds color and crunchy texture to the dish. Gamjajeon can also be garnished with shredded fresh red and green chili pepper
Chili pepper
Chili pepper is the fruit of plants from the genus Capsicum, members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae. The term in British English and in Australia, New Zealand, India, Malaysia and other Asian countries is just chilli without pepper.Chili peppers originated in the Americas...
. It is served with a dipping sauce
Dip (food)
A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Dips are used to add flavor and/or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, cut-up raw vegetables, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, potato chips, tortilla chips, and falafel...
called choganjang (초간장), made of soy sauce and vinegar.