Chef Im Seong-geun’s Simple Tricks for Perfect Jeon This Lunar New Year
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Netflix’s cooking show Black & White Chef 2 has spotlighted Korean chef Im Seong-geun, nicknamed “Ajemaengsu” and “Im-jjang,” for his fast, precise cooking that still preserves deep flavor. His jeon (Korean pan-fried pancakes/cutlets) techniques are practical for home cooks and especially useful ahead of Seol (Lunar New Year). Key tips: thaw frozen fish slowly in lukewarm salted water with a splash of cooking wine (about 2 cups water, 1/2 tbsp salt, 4 tbsp mirin-like cooking wine at ~30°C) to remove odors and draw out excess moisture before patting dry, lightly flouring and coating with egg; never add salt to the egg wash for jeon—season the main ingredients only, because salt in eggs makes the coating loose and prone to falling off; and for an egg-free, longer-lasting option, use ground soaked mung beans (nokdu) as a batter for zucchini jeon (ae-hobak jeon). Im’s rules: thaw gently, season only the ingredients, and keep egg wash mild—small changes that elevate holiday jeon.
