Gochu Jeon 고추전 are savory pepper fritters that are typically filled with a meat-patty-esque mixture of beef or pork or both, tofu, alliums, and often times minced carrots, onions, or shiitakes. The filling gets stuffed inside each half of a pepper sliced lengthwise and dredged in a flour-egg mixture over low heat. If the process or ingredients sound rather familiar, that might be because gochu jeon is a derivative of wanja jeon or donggeurang ddeng (minced meat patties). Essentially both fillings are alike.
During the summers, my mom would make gochu jeon with sweet summer peppers from our garden—a Korean varietal called Put Gochu 풋고추 (and not to be mistaken with Hong Gochu 홍고추, which are hot as hell). This recipe calls for good old Jimmys, and they’re perfect for frying. It’s peak summer season and if you’re not eating a ton of jimmys or any other sweet pepperS for that matter, you’re just not living.
GOCHU JEON 고추전 (serves 2-3)
8 medium to long jimmy na…