Korean

Pan-fried Meat and Tofu Patties (Wanja-jeon)

Name: Pan-fried Meat and Tofu Patties (Wanja-jeon)
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 16 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: ½ lb lean ground beef; 116 g firm tofu; 2 tbsp onion; ~2 tbsp green onion; 1 garlic clove; ~¼ cups carrot; 1 tsp salt; ½ tsp soy sauce; ~¼ tsp ground black pepper; ~1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 egg; ~¼ cups all-purpose flour; 2 egg; 1 pinch salt; ~3 tbsp grapeseed oil

⏱ 30 min🍽 Serves 16

Traditional Korean pan-fried patties made from a savory mixture of ground beef and tofu with onions, green onions, and vegetables. They are soft, juicy, and cooked until golden, making them a popular side dish for Korean lunch boxes and special occasions.

High-protein

Adapted from a video by Maangchi

Pan-fried meat & tofu patties (Wanja jeon: 완자전)

Watch on YouTube

Ingredients

lean ground beef½ lb
firm tofu116 g
onionminced2 tbsp
green onionchopped~2 tbspest.
garlic clove1
carrotcut into very small pieces~¼ cupsest.
salt1 tsp
soy sauce

Steps

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1
Rinse 116g firm tofu under cold water, wrap it in paper towels, and squeeze out as much water as possible.
2
Prepare half pound lean ground beef, 2-3 tablespoons minced onion, chopped green onion, 1 minced garlic clove, and a small amount of finely diced carrot.
3
In a bowl, combine the beef, squeezed tofu, minced onion, green onion, garlic, carrot, 1 teaspoon salt, half teaspoon soy sauce, black pepper, sesame oil, and 1 egg.
4
Wash your hands, then mix everything together by hand until it forms a sticky, well-combined mass.
5
Dust a work surface with all-purpose flour. Divide the mixture into 16 portions and shape each into a flat patty about the size of a hamburger patty, pressing a slight indentation in the center.
6
Lightly coat each patty with flour, dusting off any excess, and place on a flour-dusted plate so they don't stick together.
7
In a bowl, beat 2 eggs (or 1 whole egg plus 1 egg yolk for more color), add a pinch of salt, and mix well. This will be used for dipping the patties.
8
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Dip each patty into the egg coating, then place it in the hot oil.
9
Cook in two batches, frying 8 patties at a time over medium heat. Fry for about 1 minute until the bottom is light golden brown, then flip and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until both sides are light golden. Add more oil if needed.
10
Transfer the cooked patties to a plate once both sides are light golden. Avoid cooking at too high a temperature to prevent browning.

Pan-fried Meat and Tofu Patties (Wanja-jeon)

Ingredients

Steps

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