Shrimp and Zucchini Korean Pancake

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There are many aspects of Pre-March 2020 life that I miss. I miss my Sunday routine of grabbing an order of Har Gow and Siu Mai from Good Luck Dim Sum, walking to the Clement Street Farmers Market, sampling all the cut up fruit without fear of germs, and then walking home with my arms full of vegetables while trying to see if I can carry a Coconut Bun home from my favorite Chinese Bakery.

I miss going out for dinner on Friday nights at our favorite neighborhood haunts. Chili House for their Tea Smoked Duck. Foghorn for their jerk chicken wings. Muguboka for their Korean Seafood Pancake. Gosh, that thing is goooooood.

I miss friends and a good happy hour, chatting about something other than online workout classes and pantry staples.

Someday soon we’ll be able to enjoy these moments of life again! Until then, we can WFH (wine from home) in style!

If anything, this weird time in life has taught us how to be nimble and adapt. Reuben and I try to maintain some semblance of normalcy within the four walls of our apartment. We still like to order take out on Fridays to support our favorite local restaurants. We try our best to maintain normal working hours, even though it’s pretty easy to constantly work all day when your laptop is sitting right there and there aren’t new episodes of Tiger King to keep you entertained. 

But after an especially trying day or week of work we like to have a little happy hour at home! Instead of venturing to a bar, we’ll make a cheese plate or recreate our favorite restaurant appetizer to enjoy with some wine or beer.

For our last happy hour we whipped up an easy Shrimp and Zucchini Korean Pancake (inspired by our favorite appetizer at Muguboka) to pair with a crisp Decoy Chardonnay! Gosh, it was so good! The pancake is crispy and chewy, with a little decadence from being somewhat fried. The Chardonnay was perfectly dry and oaky, absolutely refreshing. There were a few subtle apple and guava notes that paired really beautifully with the pancake. 

For a brief moment we forgot that we haven’t left our house in a few days.

So the next time you need a little change of pace, I recommend organizing a little happy hour, pouring yourself some wine, and making yourself this amazing Korean Pancake!

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Shrimp and Zucchini Korean Pancake

Makes 1 large pancake

1 zucchini sliced into thin ribbons
4 green onions
2 tbsp canola oil
½ tsp salt, divided
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp fish sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1/3 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup water
1 egg
Soy sauce for serving

1. Slice the zucchini into thin ribbons using a Y vegetable peeler or a mandoline slicer and set aside. Cut the green onions into 5” long pieces and set aside.

2. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot add the zucchini. Season with ¼ tsp of salt and toss the zucchini. Continue to cook for 5 minutes, until the zucchini is tender. Add the green onions and the shrimp to the pan. Season with ¼ tsp salt, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Toss to combine and continue to cook for another 2 minutes. Arrange the shrimp and veggies in the pan so that they are evenly dispersed.

3. In a small bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, and water. Whisk until smooth. Pour the batter over the ingredients in the pan. Whisk the egg in a small bowl and then drizzle the egg over the batter. 

4. Allow the pancake to cook for 5 minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and the edges are somewhat firm. Place a large plate over the pancake in the pan. Keep a firm grip and then flip the pan over and allow the pancake to lay on the plate. Slide the pancake back into the pan and allow to cook for another 3 minutes, until golden brown and the egg and batter is set.

5. Place the pancake on a clean plate and cut into 2” squares. Enjoy with soy sauce for dipping.