Description
These Crispy Vegetable Pancakes with Asian Dipping Sauce are a delightful appetizer or snack featuring a medley of shredded vegetables bound together with eggs and a light batter, fried to golden perfection. Served with a tangy, slightly sweet dipping sauce accented with ginger and chili flakes, they offer a perfect balance of textures and flavors that will please any palate.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetable Pancakes
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup shredded zucchini (squeezed to remove excess moisture)
- 1/2 cup shredded potato (optional, for extra crispiness)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped cabbage
- 2 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Asian Dipping Sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes (optional, for heat)
- 1 tablespoon water (to thin sauce, if needed)
Instructions
- Prepare the pancakes: In a large bowl, combine the shredded carrots, zucchini, potato (if using), cabbage, and green onions to form the vegetable base for the pancakes.
- Make the batter: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, flour, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine mixture: Add the egg batter to the shredded vegetable mixture and stir thoroughly until all the vegetables are evenly coated with the batter.
- Heat oil for frying: Warm 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking, preparing for frying the pancakes.
- Form and fry pancakes: Drop spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture into the skillet, flattening each into small pancake shapes using the back of the spoon to create an even thickness.
- Cook until golden: Fry each pancake for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until they become golden brown and develop a crispy exterior, adding additional oil as needed for batches.
- Prepare dipping sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, honey (or sugar), grated ginger, and chili flakes if desired, creating a flavorful Asian dipping sauce.
- Adjust sauce consistency: Add water a little at a time to the dipping sauce to achieve your preferred consistency if the mixture is too thick.
- Drain pancakes: After frying, transfer the pancakes to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil and maintain their crispiness.
- Serve: Plate the crispy vegetable pancakes and serve warm alongside the Asian dipping sauce for dipping.
Notes
- Make sure to squeeze out excess moisture from the zucchini and potato to ensure crispy pancakes.
- For a spicier dipping sauce, increase the amount of chili flakes or add a dash of sriracha.
- To make this recipe vegan, substitute eggs with a flax egg and use vegan-friendly sauces.
- Serve immediately for best texture; pancakes can lose crispness if left to sit too long.
- You can add other shredded vegetables like mushrooms or bell peppers to customize the pancakes.
