Bindaetteok — Mung Bean Pancake with Ground Batter (빈대떡)

Ingredients

• 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
• 150 g pork belly or shoulder, thinly sliced or minced
• 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
• For frying
• 80 ml lard (돼지기름, dwaeji gireum), the Gwangjang Market standard; replenished between batches

Method

1. 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. 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.
3. 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. 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. 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. 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.