Wanja Jeon (Pan-Fried Meat and Tofu Patties) Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

Yield:About 30 patties

For the Patties

• ¼cup whole milk
• 1large egg
• 1tablespoon soy sauce
• 1tablespoon fish sauce
• ¼teaspoon baking soda
• ½cup panko bread crumbs
• ½cup finely chopped scallions (green parts only)
• ⅓cup finely diced yellow onion
• ⅓cup finely diced carrot
• 3dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in warm water until soft, drained and finely diced (optional)
• 2garlic cloves, grated
• 1(1-inch) piece ginger, grated
• 1tablespoon toasted sesame oil, plus more for greasing hands
• 2tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1tablespoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• 1tablespoon gochugaru (see Tip)
• 1teaspoon black pepper
• ½teaspoon white pepper (optional)
• 1pound ground pork
• ½pound ground beef (preferably 10-percent fat)
• ½block firm tofu, drained and crumbled into pebble-size pieces (about 7 ounces)

For Frying

• 4large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 1teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
• ½teaspoon instant dashi powder, such as Hondashi (optional)
• 2cups all-purpose flour
• Neutral oil, for pan-frying

Preparation

1. Step

   1

   Make the patties: To a small bowl, add the milk, egg, soy sauce, fish sauce and baking soda and whisk to combine. Stir in the panko and set aside for at least 10 minutes while you prep the other ingredients.

2. Step

   2

   To a large bowl, add the scallion, yellow onion, carrot, mushrooms (if using), garlic, ginger and sesame oil and mix to combine. Add the sugar, salt, gochugaru, black pepper, white pepper, pork and beef. Mix again to combine.

3. Step

   3

   Add the panko mixture to the meat. With clean hands, knead the mixture until thoroughly combined and the meat starts to look shreddy, about 3 minutes. (To knead, hold the bowl with one hand and use the other to fold and press the meat onto itself in long, counterclockwise strokes.) Then, knead again to fold the crumbled tofu into the meat mixture until evenly dispersed, making sure not to break up the tofu too much. Cover and rest the mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour but preferably overnight.

4. Step

   4

   Heat oven to 375 degrees.

5. Step

   5

   Form the patties: Using a cookie scoop or your hands (greased with a little sesame oil), form 1½-inch balls, then slightly flatten them to make ¼-inch-tall patties. As you finish each patty, place it on a large sheet pan. You should get about 30.

6. Step

   6

   Fry the patties: In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt and dashi powder, if using. To a separate bowl, add the flour. One by one, coat each meat patty in the flour, shaking off excess, then place it back on the sheet pan.

7. Step

   7

   Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium, then add enough oil to thinly cover the bottom. Working in batches, dip each flour-coated patty into the egg mixture, letting excess egg drip off, then place in the hot pan in a single layer. Sear the patties until lightly browned, then flip and sear the other side, 2 to 3 minutes total. Drain patties on a large sheet pan fitted with a wire rack or paper towels.

8. Step

   8

   If using paper towels, discard them. Bake the patties until no longer pink in the centers (with an internal temperature of 170 degrees), about 8 minutes. Serve immediately, warm or at room temperature.

Tips

• For a simple dipping sauce, stir together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 sliced red chile and ½ tablespoon sesame seeds.
• Gochugaru, a flavorful Korean red-pepper powder, ranges from a fine dust to tiny coarse flakes. Try to buy the coarse variety, both for deeper, sweeter flavor and for color, a gleaming crimson. You can find gochugaru at Korean and other Asian supermarkets and at many grocery stores, as well as online.