Mark and I usually go out to dinner on Friday nights, but this is something we forego during Lent. It’s easier to make something vegetarian at home than to try to accommodate eating meatless at most restaurants. And even though all of the Lenten Friday recipes I’ve shared have been delicious, by this point in Lent it’s starting to wear on us a little bit. We miss our nights out.

I’ve been craving Chinese, so when I ran across this recipe I knew it would be a perfect dinner for us. I love making our own take-out.

Chock-full of vegetables, these are super filling and they reheat very well.

Korean Vegetable Pancakes and Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce
(from A Spicy Perspective)
Makes 4 12″ pancakes

For the pancakes
2 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. water
1 large egg
1 1/2 t. sea salt
2 c. shredded potatoes
1 c. shredded carrots
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced julienne
1 small zucchini, shredded
1 bunch green onions, cut in 1 in. sections
Pepper to taste
Vegetable oil for cooking

For the dipping sauce
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c. water
1 T. rice vinegar
2 T. sugar
1 T. sesame oil
1 minced garlic clove
1 t. sesame seeds
1/4 t. crushed red pepper

In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together all the dipping sauce ingredients. Microwave for 1-2 minutes, just long enough for the sugar to dissolve. Whisk again and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the flour, water, egg and salt. Set the batter aside to rest.

Preheat two non-stick skillets to medium high heat. Slice all the vegetables and mix into the batter. Add pepper to taste. If the batter still seems very thick, after the veggies are mixed in, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and mix well.

Add a little oil to each skillet and swirl around. Ladle enough veggie batter into each skillet to completely cover the bottom. Fry for 4-5 minutes, per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batter.

Cut the pancakes into wedges and serve warm with the dipping sauce.