North Korean Pancakes

Ingredients:

For dipping sauce:

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

For pancakes:

1 cup dried peeled (yellow) mung beans

2 medium carrots

1 bunch scallions (white and pale green parts only)

1 (5-inch) fresh red chile, thinly sliced crosswise (2 tablespoons), including seeds

1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)

1 cup water

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

Special equipment: a Japanese Benriner or other adjustable-blade slicer

Cooking Instructions:

Make dipping sauce: Stir together all dipping-sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Make pancakes: Rinse mung beans in a sieve under cold running water until water runs clear. Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl and soak, chilled, at least 2 hours. Cut carrots into thin matchsticks, preferably using slicer.Halve scallions lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces. Combine carrots, scallions, chile, and garlic in a large bowl. Drain mung beans and purée with water in a food processor until smooth, about 1 minute. Add eggs, flour, and salt and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture over vegetables in bowl and stir with a flexible spatula. (Batter will be thick). Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet (at least 8 inches across bottom) over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then swirl to coat. Stir batter, then ladle 1 cup batter into skillet, pressing down lightly with a large spatula to flatten and evenly distribute vegetables, to make an 8-inch pancake (less than 1/2 inch thick). Cook until edges begin to bubble and turn golden, 1 to 2 minutes, then turn over with spatula and cook until other side is golden, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer pancake to paper towels to drain. Make 3 more pancakes in same manner, stacking them (after draining briefly) if desired. Transfer pancakes, 1 at a time, to a cutting board and cut each into 6 wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature with dipping sauce.

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