Crispy Mushroom & Spring Onion Pancake Bacon Egg & Cheese Sando

My crispy mushroom & spring onion pajeon gets the ultimate New York breakfast makeover. Think classic bacon, egg & cheese — but with golden, savory Korean pancakes standing in for the bun. It’s crispy, cheesy, smoky, and totally brunch-worthy.

Ingredients

Serves 2
Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 35 minutes

Pajeon Batter

¾ cup (90g) buchim garu (Korean pancake mix) *see note
¾ cup (90g) twigim garu (Korean frying mix), or tempura flour
1½ cups (355g) cold water
Neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower), for frying

Mushroom & Onion Mix

80 g (2¾ oz) shiitake mushrooms, destemmed and sliced ¼ in thick
115 g (1¾ oz) oyster mushrooms, torn into ¼ in pieces
65 g (2½ oz) enoki mushrooms, trimmed and separated
4 stalks (60g) green onions, thinly sliced
Kosher or sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

BEC Fillings

4 strips (about 30g) crispy bacon (or 2 breakfast sausages, sliced)
2 large eggs
2 slices American cheese, cheddar, or mozzarella
½ avocado, sliced (optional)
sriracha to serve (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, whisk together buchim garu and twigim garu. Gradually whisk in the cold water until smooth and slightly thick. Chill while prepping mushrooms.
Heat 2 Tbsp of neutral oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 7–8 minutes until slightly dried but still tender. Remove with a slotted spoon, and on to a plate lined with kitchen towels. Allow to cool slightly and pat dry with more kitchen towels. Stir the mushrooms into batter with the spring onions. Set aside.
Wipe the pan clean, and drizzle in some more oil. Over medium heat, fry two eggs sunny-side up or over easy, whichever you prefer. Place on a plate and set aside in a warm place. Place the bacon in the pan and fry until crispy and browned, about 4-5 minutes. Place on a plate lined with kitchen towels. Set aside.
Tip out some of the bacon fat into a heat proof bowl, keeping some in the pan. Place the pan over medium heat. Ladle in enough batter to form two round pancakes about sandwich-bun size (4 to 5 inches in diameter). Cook for 3–4 minutes until the edges are crispy and golden, flip, and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Add more bacon fat or oil as necessary. Place on a rack or a plate lined with kitchen towels. Repeat to make 4 pancakes total. Set aside in a warm place.
Place one pajeon on a plate and top with a slice of cheese. Add a few bacon strips, the avocado, and the egg. Top with another pajeon to complete the sandwich. Slice in half and enjoy hot. Serve with sriracha on the side.

*NOTE: if you cannot find Korean pancake mix (buchim garu), substitute:
You can substitute ¾ cup (90g) of savory pancake mix (buchim garu) with a mixture of:
½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp rice flour
1 Tbsp cornstarch
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp sea salt or kosher salt