Wanjajeon (Pan-fried Beef and Tofu Patties)
Korean Beef and Tofu Patties, known as Wanja-jeon are delicious two bite morsels that are delicious as an appetizer, and perfect for Bento box lunches. Kids love them!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
The Patty
- ½ pound ground beef or mixture of pork and beef
- 4 ounces of tofu squeeze out excess water and smoosh
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion, yellow or white ~1/4 of an onion
- 1-2 garlic cloves (1 tsp) minced
- 1 green onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped carrot minced or finely chopped
- 1 large egg slightly beatened
The Patty Seasonings
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil
The Dredge & Fry
- 2 eggs
- 2 to 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tsp roasted white sesame seeds, crushed optional
Dipping Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
- 1/2-1 tsp Gochugaru or crushed chili flakes
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp green onions, finely diced
- 1/2 tsp garlic, minced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Patties
- Combine ground beef, pressed tofu, onion, garlic, green onion, carrot, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, soy sauce, ground black pepper, sesame oil, sesame seeds if using, and 1 egg in a bowl.
- Mix well by hand until the mixture gets a little sticky.
- Divide the mixture into ~16 equal pieces. A 2-tablespoon ice cream scoop makes easy work of this. Shape each into a ball between your palms, then flatten into 2-inch patty about ¼ inch thick.
- Dip each patty into flour, coat well but shake off the excess. Set each aside on a platter. Dredge all the patties at once and place on a platter or tray.
Fry Time
- In a bowl beat 2 eggs, add a pinch of salt.
- Heat a large nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add some oil and tilt the pan to spread it around.
- Working in batches, dip each patty in the beaten egg, making sure to coat all of the patty, and place in the hot pan, one by one.
- Cook for about 1-2 minute until the bottom part turns light golden brown. Flip it over and cook for a few more minutes until the bottom part turns a little crunchy and light golden brown.
- Patties should be firm to touch when done. I cook the patties in two batches in a 12-inch pan. Clean the pan between batches. Serve the patties warm or at room temperature. Leftover patties are perfect in bento boxes.
Dipping Sauce
- Combine all ingredients, stir well.
- This is an all-purpose dipping sauce that can be used with dumplings, meat patties, Korean pancakes and jeon.