Pan Fried Zucchini (HOBAK JEON)
Pan Fried Zucchini (Hobak Jeon) is an easy and delicious Korean side dish. Thin zucchini slices are coated in flour and eggs, then pan fried until golden brown and crispy.
Equipment
- 1 skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large zucchini (mine was about 380g)
- ½ tsp salt
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- 1 extra large egg
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup neutral cooking oil (I used vegetable oil)
Dipping Sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp sesame oil (optional)
- ½ tsp roasted sesame seeds (optional)
- ¼ tsp Korean chili pepper powder (optional)
Instructions
- Cut a zucchini into 5mm-thick slices.
- Place the sliced zucchini on a large plate or a baking pan. Evenly sprinkle ¼ tsp of salt over the zucchini, flip each piece of the zucchini, then sprinkle another ¼ tsp of salt over the zucchini. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
- Make a sauce by mixing all the "dipping sauce" ingredients in a small bowl.
- Use a kitchen towel to wipe of the moisture on the surface of the zucchini.
- Place the wiped zucchini and ⅓ cup of flour into a food storage bag. Zip lock the bag or tightly hold the open end of the bag, shake the bag until every piece of the zucchini has been evenly coated with flour.
- Beat 1 egg. Add ¼ cup of cooking oil to a skillet, turn on heat to "medium".
- Dip a slice of the floured zucchini into the egg, flip the zucchini to make sure that both sides of the zucchini are evenly coated with the egg, put it in the skillet. Repeat with the remaining zucchini pieces, until the skillet is full.
- Pan fry the zucchini over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the bottom side turns golden brown. You can always lift a piece of the zucchini with a pair of chopsticks to check the color on its bottom side.
- Once you are ready to flip the zucchini pieces, turn heat to "medium low", because the skillet and the cooking oil is hot enough at this point of the time. Flip the zucchini, pan fry over medium low heat for another 1-2 minutes until both sides of the zucchini turn golden brown.
- Transfer pan fried zucchini tօ a kitchen towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil.
- Repeat the process with the rest of the zucchini pieces until all of them are cooked. Transfer to a plate and serve with dipping sauce.
Video
Notes
If the cooking oil in the skillet turns brown, you should change it with fresh cooking oil. I pan fried my zucchini in 4 batches, and changed the cooking oil after the second batch was done.