Next Monday, September 8, is Chuseok (Korean harvest/mid-autumn festival). Most Korean homes make several types of jeon (전) dishes (pan-fried battered food) for their holiday feast. Wanjajeon (완자전), egg-battered and pan-fried Korean meatballs, is among the popular choices. It’s also called gogijeon (고기전).
Meatballs are called gogi wanja (고기완자) in Korean and used in many traditional dishes such as soups or hotpots. When they are egg-battered and pan-fried, they are called wanjajeon. To make jeon, the meatballs are gently pressed into mini patties.
As a child growing up in Korea, I loved these little egg-battered meatballs. We called them by their funny nickname – dongeurangddeng (동그랑떙), meaning “a round thing”. I know it’s hard to pronounce, but it is one of those words that makes you smile when said or heard. They were a favorite for packing in the school lunch boxes. Meat was a luxury in Korea back then, so it was always a special treat to have a few of these meatballs with a meal.
For the meat, I prefer to use a mixture of beef and pork, but you can also use all beef or all pork.
To achieve a smooth texture, take extra time to finely chop the vegetables and mix all the ingredients very well by hand. The meat patties can be prepared ahead of time and pan-fried on the day of serving.
Enjoy it on your Chuseok table or simply as an appetizer or side dish with any meal.
- 1 pound ground beef or combination of beef and pork
- 4 to 6 ounces tofu squeezed and crushed
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1/2 medium carrot
- 2 scallions
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- salt about 1/2 teaspoon and pepper to taste
- 3 eggs beaten well
- 1/2 cup flour
- vegetable or canola oil for pan-frying
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Finely chop the vegetables.
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Combine all the prepared ingredients, and mix very well by hand until everything is evenly blended, crushing any remaining big pieces of tofu. You can cook a little bit in the microwave (or in a pan) to see if it needs more salt.
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Shape the mixture into 2 to 3-centimeter balls, and then gently press between your palms to flatten.
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Dredge the patties in flour one at a time, coating well. Shake off excess flour.
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Heat a non-stick pan over medium low heat. Coat the pan evenly with 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Dip each piece in the egg, and carefully place in the heated skillet. Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, adding more oil, until the meat is cooked through. The meat is ready if it feels firm. Clean the pan, and repeat with the remaining pieces.
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