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Discover the Flavors of Korea: A Guide to Making Delicious Jeon

What is Jeon?

Jeon is a traditional Korean dish that refers to small, flour or starch-coated, and pan-fried meat or vegetables. These bite-sized treats are often served as drinking snacks, appetizers, or as part of a ban chan array with a Korean meal. Gogi Jeon, specifically, refers to meat dishes of this type.

Getting Started

With a total preparation time of 4 1/2 hours and an active cooking time of 30 minutes, making Jeon is a relatively easy and rewarding process. This recipe yields 4 to 8 servings, depending on your serving style.

Gathering Ingredients

To make Jeon, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 1 pound lean beef, pork, or chicken
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch
• Salt and pepper
• Vegetable oil for pan-frying
• Marinade ingredients (see below)

Crafting the Marinade

The marinade is a crucial component of Jeon. To make it, combine the following ingredients in a blender and liquefy:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 inch knob of fresh ginger, peeled
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon rice wine
• 1 teaspoon citron or lemon juice

Transfer the marinade to a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients, and mix well. Let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preparing the Meat

Cut the meat into roughly 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inch strips. Lightly salt and pepper each strip and let it stand for 10 minutes. Then, add the meat to the marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Coating and Frying

Mix the flour and starch together. Break the eggs into a medium mixing bowl and beat well. Remove the meat from the marinade, pat it dry, and dredge it through the flour mixture. Dip the coated meat in the beaten egg and fry in a non-stick pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooking oil over medium heat. Fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

Serving and Variations

Serve your Jeon with a soy sauce-based dipping sauce. You can enjoy it as a side dish (Ban Chan) part of a meal, as a drinking snack with kimchi, or as an appetizer. For a variation, try placing the marinated meat on mini skewers with asparagus stalks, red and green bell pepper, and green onion, all cut to the same length as the meat. Dredge, dip, and fry as above.

With these simple steps, you’ll be able to create delicious Jeon that will impress your friends and family. So go ahead, give it a try, and experience the flavors of Korea!