Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Vegan Kimchi Pancakes
Kimchi pancakes shine when their edges are craggy and crisp, contrasting with a chewy centre that holds the cabbage together. The air fryer excels here, using fast convection to strip moisture and crisp both sides with less oil than traditional frying.
Ingredients
- 200g vegan kimchi, drained with 2 tbsp kimchi brine reserved
- 90g plain flour
- 30g cornflour or potato starch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp gochugaru Korean chilli flakes
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 100–120ml ice-cold water or chilled sparkling water
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (for dipping sauce)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (for dipping sauce)
- 1 tsp maple syrup or caster sugar (for dipping sauce)
- ½ tsp toasted sesame oil (for dipping sauce)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (for dipping sauce)
- sliced spring onion (for dipping sauce)
Method
- Drain and chop the kimchi, reserving 2 tbsp of the brine.
- Mix plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and gochugaru in a bowl.
- Add kimchi brine, soy sauce, and 100ml ice-cold water to dry ingredients. Stir until no dry patches remain, then fold in kimchi, spring onions, and garlic.
- Preheat air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes with crisper plate in place.
- Brush parchment squares with oil. Spoon 2 heaped tbsp batter onto each, spreading into thin rounds.
- Place parchment-supported pancakes in the basket. Air fry at 200°C for 5 minutes.
- Flip pancakes, peel away parchment, brush with oil, and return to crisper plate. Air fry for 4–6 minutes more at 200°C.
- Mix dipping sauce ingredients: soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup or sugar, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and spring onion.
- Serve pancakes with dipping sauce, cutting larger ones into wedges if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
