Cooking in
France
Korean
Bindaetteok — Mung Bean Pancake with Ground Batter (빈대떡)
Bindaetteok (빈대떡) is the oldest Korean pancake tradition — soaked split mung beans ground into a coarse paste and fried into a thick, savoury pancake with kimchi, pork, and vegetables embedded in the batter. Unlike pajeon's wheat flour base, bindaetteok derives its structure entirely from the ground mung bean — a naturally protein-rich base that sets firmly when fried. The grinding technique determines texture: a rough grind produces a more rustic, coarser-textured pancake; a finer grind produces a smoother, more cohesive result. Bindaetteok is historically associated with Gwangjang Market in Seoul (광장시장), where it has been fried daily since the early 20th century.
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I
The Market List
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300 g
split mung beans, skinless (거피 녹두)
soaked in cold water for minimum 4 hours, drained thoroughly
150 g
kimchi
roughly chopped; squeezed of excess liquid, liquid reserved
Origin · Korea
150 g
pork belly or shoulder
thinly sliced or minced
Your own market
80 g
mung bean sprouts
blanched briefly, drained and roughly chopped
60 g
kimchi liquid
reserved from the chopped kimchi; added only as needed to loosen batter
1 tsp
salt
Your own market
For frying
80 ml
lard (돼지기름, dwaeji gireum)
the Gwangjang Market standard; replenished between batches
II
The Method
1
Drain the soaked split mung beans thoroughly and turn them into a blender or food processor. Pulse in brief bursts rather than running the machine continuously, so the friction of a long blitz does not turn the beans into a smooth, aerated paste that will steam rather than fry in the pan. Stop when the beans form a coarse, uneven paste with visible fragments still present — the batter is ready when it holds its shape on a spoon and does not flow freely; if it pours, the pancake will spread too thin.
2
Transfer the ground batter to a wide bowl and add the chopped kimchi, pork, and mung bean sprouts. Season with salt, then fold everything together until evenly distributed — fold rather than stir so you do not break down the coarse texture you worked to achieve in the blender. If the batter is too stiff to fold, add the reserved kimchi liquid a tablespoon at a time until the mass is scoopable but still thick; it must not be pourable.
From the canon — Kimchi (baechu kimchi — napa cabbage kimchi) is Korea's foundational fermented condiment — salted napa cabbage packed with a paste of gochugaru (Korean red p… Kimchi →
3
Set a heavy skillet or flat pan over high heat and add a generous measure of lard, allowing it to become fully hot so the batter seizes and crisps on contact rather than slowly absorbing the fat and turning greasy. A small drop of batter sizzling immediately on contact signals the correct temperature.
4
Scoop a portion of batter — approximately one-eighth of the total — into the pan and press firmly with the back of a ladle or spoon into an even round of 10–12 cm, because uneven thickness means the thinner edges char before the centre is cooked through. Fry undisturbed over high heat until the underside is deep golden and the edges are set and opaque — approximately 3–4 minutes. Lifting it too early tears the crust and the pancake will not hold together for the flip.
5
Flip once, then press the pancake down firmly again so the second side makes full contact with the hot fat and browns evenly rather than sitting unevenly on a domed surface. Continue frying until the second side is equally deep golden and a firm, springless resistance when pressed at the centre confirms it is set throughout. Transfer immediately to a wire rack, never a plate, so hot steam escapes from below and the underside stays crisp.
6
Replenish the lard between each pancake so each one fries in the same depth of hot fat and develops the same crust as the first. Serve each bindaetteok within five minutes of leaving the pan — the crispness is lost rapidly and the pancake is at its best immediately.
III
Quality Hierarchy
01
Reserve — Freshly dried, skin-free 거피 녹두 from a specialist Korean grocer; pork belly from a heritage breed; house-made kimchi aged two to four weeks at peak sourness; lard rendered to order.
02
Estate — Good-quality dried split mung beans from a Korean or South Asian grocer; well-marbled pork shoulder; a reliably sour commercial kimchi; good commercial lard.
03
Market — Packaged split mung beans from a general Asian supermarket; any fatty cut of pork, minced; standard commercial kimchi; lard from the supermarket chiller.
04
House — Split mung beans ground and cooked the same day; ground pork if sliced pork is unavailable; any kimchi to hand; if lard is unavailable, a neutral oil with the highest available smoke point, accepting a less characteristically crisp result.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Sight. Batter holds a mound on the spoon and does not flow; coarse bean fragments are visible throughout — not a smooth paste.
◇Sound. A vigorous, steady sizzle the moment batter meets the fat confirms the pan is at the correct high temperature.
◇Sight. The underside is deep, even gold and the edges have turned opaque and dry before the first flip.
◇Touch. No give at the centre when pressed firmly after the second side has coloured — the batter has set through.
◇Where it lives or dies. The grind decides the dish: a coarse, fragment-visible paste produces a pancake with a crisp exterior and tender interior; a smooth paste produces a dense, rubbery result that no quantity of heat or fat can correct.
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VI
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