🌿 Korean Chive Pancakes (Buchujeon) — A Comforting Recipe from a Korean Grandmo

Korean Chive Pancakes 🌱 Buchujeon recipe: crispy, savory pancakes made with garlic chives, onion, and chili. A rainy day comfort food and beloved Korean grandma’s dish.

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Today I want to share one of the simplest yet most beloved dishes from my kitchen: Buchujeon (부추전, Korean Chive Pancakes).
When the summer rain starts tapping on the roof, Koreans crave savory pancakes sizzling in oil. In my younger days, I made these pancakes for my husband when he came home with a bottle of makgeolli (Korean rice wine). These days, I make them for my children and grandchildren — and nothing makes me happier than watching them eat with joy.

Freshly harvested Korean chives from my garden 🌱 — the beginning of delicious buchujeon.

🥬 Why Chives?

In Korea, garlic chives (buchu) are considered a “stamina vegetable.”
They are affordable, grow almost all year, and give Korean pancakes their unique flavor.

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💡 Health Tip: Benefits of Garlic Chives (Buchu)

• Relieves fatigue — helps restore energy after long days.
• Improves blood circulation — believed to promote heart and vessel health in traditional remedies.
• Supports digestion — gentle on the stomach and aids healthy digestion.
• Boosts stamina & vitality — often called a “stamina vegetable” in Korea, known for strengthening the body.
• Strengthens immunity — rich in vitamins A and C, plus minerals that help the body fight illness.

👉 In Korea, buchu is not just food — it’s valued as a natural health booster passed down through generations.

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🧺 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

• 200g fresh chives (harvested from the garden if possible 🌱)
• 1 cup Korean pancake mix (buchimgaru) + 1 cup tempura flour (for crispiness)
• 1½ cups ice-cold sparkling water (secret to light, crunchy batter)
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• 2–3 chili peppers (optional)
• 1 tsp fish sauce (or salt)
• Cooking oil

👉 Optional: add seafood (squid or shrimp) for a richer flavor.

"Freshly washed chives, ready to make Korean-style chive pancakes (Buchujeon)."

🍳 How to Make Buchujeon

1. Wash chives and cut into 2–3 inch pieces.
2. Mix pancake mix, tempura flour, sparkling water, and fish sauce gently.
3. Add chives, onion, and chili into the batter.
4. Heat oil in a pan, spread the mixture thinly, and let it sizzle.
5. Cook until golden brown on both sides, with crispy edges.

 

Golden, crispy Korean chive pancake — perfect with a glass of makgeolli on a rainy day 🍶

🌧️ Rainy Day Memories

In Korea, rainy days and pancakes go hand in hand. The sound of raindrops outside feels just like the sound of buchujeon sizzling in the pan. That is why this dish comforts us so deeply.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like my other Korean grandmother’s dishes:

• Stir-Fried Sweet Potato Leaves & Stems
• Gaji Muchim (Seasoned Eggplant Side Dish)
• Korean Grandma’s Pickled Cucumbers (Oi-ji)
• Steamed Korean Makgeolli Bread
• Sweet Potato Stem Kimchi

Each dish tells a little story of Korean summers, resilience, and the love that goes into home cooking.