These colorful Korean pancake rolls are not only beautiful to serve, but have significance attached to them! Each ingredient in the filling corresponds to the five elements system. You can replace some of the ingredients to taste preference, but be sure to try and follow the original color palette. This dish originates from the Royal Courts of the Joseon period and is based on Yin-Yang Wu Xing Theory (음양오행설) (Yin-Yang Five Element Theory). It was part of the traditional royal court menu! Enjoy the neutral and slightly sweetish-bitter taste of these delicious pancake rolls.
This dish has many health benefits as well! Helps to improve digestion, strengthen the immune system, improve blood circulation and benefit the liver, all of which correspond to the current seasonal point, spring.
To learn more about recipe author Ellis Jung please read our interview with her here!
Please credit @fiveseasonstcm and @Ellis_Jung for reposts and shares.
Author:
Ellis Jung
Ingredients
Batter
250g (8.5oz) raw buckwheat flour
650-700ml (2.75 - 3cups) water
1 tbsp sesame oil
a pinch of salt (optional)
Filling
200-250g (8-8.5oz) daikon radish
200-250g (8-8.5oz) spinach
150g (5.5 oz) mung bean sprouts
7 pcs dried shitake mushrooms
100g (3.5-4 oz) jujube
3 tbsp sesame oil
1-2 tbsp sesame seeds
You will also will need
cooking oil for frying
water
salt (optional)
Directions
For the dough
Add salt and sesame oil to the buckwheat flour. Mix together. Next, add water and mix until it reaches the consistency of pancake dough/batter. Set the dough aside for at least 20 minutes to set.
For the filling
Soak dried shiitake mushrooms in cold water for 20 minutes.
Remove the seeds of jujube, and cut into a julienne style (into thin strips). Wash and peel the Daikon radish and slice into julienne style. Lightly salt the chopped Daikon radish evenly. Toss and set aside for 20 minutes.
Rinse the spinach and mung bean sprouts well in cold water.
Bring water to a boil and add a pinch of salt. Blanch the mung bean sprouts in this water for 3-4 minutes and then the spinach for 20 seconds.
Cool the blanched mung bean sprouts and spinach in separate ice baths. Squeeze them dry and season with sesame oil and sesame seeds to taste.
After 20 minutes, rinse the salted daikon radish in cold water and squeeze out any excess water. Squeeze the soaked shiitake mushrooms and cut only the mushroom caps in the julienne style (into thin strips).
Sauté the daikon radish over medium heat with a little sesame oil in the style you like (slight or deeply cooked). Then sauté the shiitake mushrooms over medium heat with a little sesame oil added in the style you like (slight or deep cooked).
Run the dough through a sieve with larger holes, to remove any clumps. Then apply some cooking to a skillet with a paper towel and pour over 1 ladle of pancake batter. Spread the batter evenly over the pan in a circle, at even thickness, and fry the pancakes over low heat (do not fry the pancake, but slowly cook it well). Remove and set aside each pancake when its cooked through.
To assemble
Put the filling on the pancake on the edge that is closer to you. To do this, take each of the ingredients: Daikon radish, spinach, jujube, Shiitake mushrooms and mung bean sprouts in the desired amount, and spread in strips next to each other and on top of each other to form a strip of five ingredients and colors.
Roll the pancake by hand or with a roll mat. Cut into 2cm wide pieces and serve.
