Ingredients

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• Batter: 1 cup (125 g) Petley Grain Gluten-Free Pancake Mix
• ¾ cup (180 ml) ice-cold water
• 1 large egg
• Filling: 8 scallions, cut into 4-inch (10 cm) lengths
• ½ small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks (optional)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil, divided, for frying

At the table

• · Dip of certified gluten-free tamari, rice vinegar, and a drop of sesame oil

Method

1. 1Whisk the Petley Grain Mix, ice-cold water, egg, and salt until smooth and pourable, like thin pancake batter. Add 1 tbsp more water if it feels thick.
2. 2Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
3. 3Lay half the scallions side by side in the pan and scatter over half the carrot.
4. 4Pour half the batter evenly over the scallions, just enough to bind them. Cook 4–5 minutes until the edges are golden and crisp.
5. 5Flip, press gently with a spatula, and cook 3–4 minutes more. Slide out, repeat with the rest, and cut into wedges. Serve hot with the dipping sauce.

The story

Pajeon takes its name from two Korean words: pa, the green onion, and jeon, the large family of foods coated in batter or egg and pan-fried in oil. Jeon range from thin slices of fish and vegetables to round, plate-sized pancakes, and they are served at home, at festivals, at ancestral memorial tables, and alongside drinks in casual pubs. Pajeon is one of the most familiar members of that family. The method is simple: long scallions are laid in a hot, oiled pan and a thin batter is poured over them, so the onions run through the finished pancake rather than being chopped into it. Seafood versions, called haemul pajeon, add squid, shrimp, or clams. Busan’s Dongnae district is known for its own pajeon tradition, often described as softer and made with rice flour in the batter. In Korea, pajeon is widely linked with rainy days and makgeolli, a milky rice wine. A popular explanation says the sizzle of batter in the pan sounds like falling rain; that is a charming folk idea rather than documented history. Traditional batters usually contain wheat flour, so a gluten-free version must also use a gluten-free dipping sauce.