SALTED CARAMEL PANCAKES

HOTTEOK

Hotteok, sweet pancakes filled with a brown sugar syrup and nuts, are beloved by young and old alike. These decadent treats were my sister Sonya’s choice dessert when we were kids. In each bite, you crunch through a crispy golden crust, then through a chewy dough and finally into a gooey centre. I’ve jazzed up the classic recipe by substituting the brown sugar with muscovado sugar, which is richer and ‘oozier’ when melted, and mixing it with a touch of salt. Feel free to make your own version as well – I’ve seen these pancakes filled with everything from walnuts and honey to mixed seeds. And they’re even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or whipped cream on top.

Ingredients

MAKES ABOUT TEN 10 CM (4 IN) PANCAKE

Dough:

  • 360 ml (12 fl oz) whole milk
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 pack (7 g/1⁄4 oz) instant yeast
  • 225 g (8 oz) bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 150 g (51⁄2 oz) sweet rice flour
  • 11⁄2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1⁄2 tsp sea salt

 

Filling:

  • 125 g (41⁄2 oz) muscovado sugar
  • 75 g (23⁄4 oz) peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 3⁄4 tsp sea salt
  • Vegetable oil, for frying

 

Method

FOR THE DOUGH:

  1. In a very small saucepan, heat the milk to about 41°C/105°F. Remove from the heat, add the sugar and yeast and whisk until they have dissolved. Leave to stand in a warm place for 3–5 minutes, or until bubbling, to activate the yeast.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the bread flour, rice flour, cornflour and salt. Slowly stir in the warm milk mixture until a sticky dough forms. Shape the dough into a ball in the base of the bowl and cover the bowl with a clean damp tea towel.
  3. Leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 11⁄2–2 hours until doubled in size. Knock it back and let it rise for 11⁄2 hours until doubled in size again.

 

FOR THE FILLING:

  1. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the muscovado sugar, peanuts, cinnamon and salt.
  2. After the dough has risen a second time, dust a clean work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto it. Dust the top of the dough with some more flour and knead it a few times. Shape the dough into a fat, long log.
  3. Cut the dough into ten equal pieces, shape each piece into a ball, set on the floured work surface, and cover with a clean tea towel or clingfilm. Dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking, press a dough ball into a 10 cm (4 in) wide disc using your fingertips. Make sure the disc is uniformly thick so the finished pancake will be evenly filled with caramel.
  4. Put the disc in your hand and slightly cup it. Spoon 11⁄2–2 tablespoons of the filling into the centre of the disc. Seal the disc closed by wrapping the dough around the filling and pinching the edges together at the top. Once sealed, reshape gently to form a ball, set with the seam side down on the floured work surface and cover with a clean tea towel or clingfilm. Repeat with the remaining dough balls and filling.
  5. In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over a medium-high heat. Put two or three dough balls seam-side down in the pan and immediately flatten them with a spatula to a width of about 10 cm (4 in). Reduce the heat to medium-low and fry the pancakes for 3–4 minutes until golden brown and crispy on the bottom. Flip them and cook for a further 3–4 minutes until slightly springy to the touch.
  6. Transfer the pancakes to a wire rack or kitchen paper-lined plate when done. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, wiping the pan clean and adding fresh oil for each batch. Leave the pancakes to cool slightly before serving. Beware, it’s easy to burn yourself in your haste to gobble these up, as the insides are hot and oozing.

 

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Social media

@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageThey said I didn’t look like a chef. I said, “ Watch me feed Madison Square Garden and Citi Field!” 🍗

And with the @nyknicks in the NBA Finals, MSG has never been louder — or better fed. 
There’s something deeply satisfying about 20,000 New Yorkers eating Korean fried chicken while cheering on their team. That’s the Seoul Bird dream, right there.

So honored to be featured in @womanaroundtown, sharing a little of my story — from Columbia engineering grad to Wall Street, to walking away from it all to go to culinary school (my parents were horrified), to cooking at Michelin-starred kitchens, to becoming the first female Iron Chef UK. 

None of it was the plan. All of it was worth it.

Seoul Bird was born from a love of Korean street food — and a belief that it deserved a global stage. From London to New York, we’re just getting started.

And yes — there’s a new book (my 4th!) coming in Nov— “Mukja: Let’s Eat!”
Head to WomanAroundTown.com for the full interview. 
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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageBack in my K-Quick Kitchen — and today we’re giving McDonald’s fried apple pies the Korean glow-up they deserve.
Apple Pie Mandu (dumplings), yeah baby!

 Dumplings have been showing up in Korean royal cookbooks since at least the 14th century, when they were considered a luxurious dish served during festivals and celebrations. 

Today, “mandu” come in countless shapes — half-moon, round, pleated, pinched — and are stuffed with everything from kimchi and pork to tofu and glass noodles.

So why not stuff them with apple pie filling? The beauty of mandu is the wrapper — that thin, snappy skin crisps up like a DREAM when fried, giving you a shatter-crisp shell that rivals the Golden Arches.

Here’s my K-Quick move:
To save time—Start with pre-made apple pie filling, but pimp it out: a squeeze of lemon, fresh apples, a hit of cinnamon, maybe a splash of bourbon or rum if you’re feeling fancy. Trust me, adding a few fresh ingredients makes all the difference.

Wrap a spoonful inside a dumpling wrapper, seal those edges tight, and fry until golden, blistered, and gorgeous.
Finish with a generous toss in cinnamon sugar while they’re still warm.

Eat them straight up while they’re piping hot, or pile them over a scoop of vanilla ice cream for the ULTIMATE sundae moment. There’s truly no wrong answer here.

A true American classic, reimagined the K-Quick way — warm, tart, crispy, sweet, and absolutely made for sharing.

Thank you @samsunguk @samsung
Ingredients:  @koreafoodsuk @seoulplazauk

Glam:  Thank you @jonesroadbeauty @justbobbidotcom6 days ago via Instagram
@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageBack cooking on the @todayshow  with the @todayfood family — and after 10+ years, it never gets old. 

This time I brought the heat: Gochujang Shrimp and Korean Kalbi Short Ribs that’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about a barbecue. Grilling season is on, darlings! 
Full recipes at today.com 

And a huge thank you to the wonderful @carsondaly for the sweetest shoutout to Seoul Bird at Madison Square Garden @thegarden — no better pre-game meal in New York. 🐦🔥
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@judyjoochef Instagram profile imageThe news is finally out — My new book, “Mukja: Let’s Eat!” is coming out in stores November 10th.

I’ve taken the most iconic food moments from K-Pop and K-Dramas and turned them into recipes you can actually make at home. We’re talking Jungkook’s late-night spicy noodles, Rosé-inspired creamy tteokbokki, and over 80 recipes spanning noodles, stews, street food, barbecue, and sweets. 

If you’ve ever paused a K-Drama just to stare at a bowl of noodles or dumplings on screen… this one’s for you 🍜
This book is my love letter to the Korean Wave and everything it’s done to bring Korean food to the world. It’s a cookbook, yes, but really it’s a way to bring those on-screen and on-stage moments into your own kitchen– to taste the culture for yourself. 

“Mukja: Let’s Eat!” drops November 10th — link in bio to pre-order ❤️ 

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