Savory and Sweet Braised Fish Cakes (Eomuk Bokkeum)
Easy and Delicious Korean Fish Cake Stir-fry Recipe (Eomuk Bokkeum)
As someone who loves fish cakes (eomuk or odeng), I always keep a stash of square fish cakes in my refrigerator. To use them before they expire, I enjoy them in various dishes like fish cake soup, stir-fries, or tteokbokki. This recipe focuses on making a simple yet flavorful pan-fried fish cake dish that’s perfect as a side for any meal.
Main Ingredients
- 165g Square fish cakes (about 2-3 sheets)
- 34g Carrot (about 1/4 medium)
- 40g Onion (about 1/4 medium)
- 0.7 Tbsp Minced garlic (about 1/2 Tbsp)
- 17g Green onions (about 3-4 stalks)
- 3 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 0.5 Tbsp Sesame oil (about 1 tsp)
- A pinch of Sesame seeds (for garnish)
Seasoning
- 1.5 Tbsp Soy sauce (Guk-ganjang or Jin-ganjang)
- 1.8 Tbsp Oligodang (or corn syrup)
- 1.5 Tbsp Soy sauce (Guk-ganjang or Jin-ganjang)
- 1.8 Tbsp Oligodang (or corn syrup)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the fish cakes. The key is to cut them into bite-sized pieces. Cut the square fish cakes in half lengthwise, then slice them into strips about 1 to 1.2 cm wide. This size makes them easy to eat after stir-frying.
Step 2
Julienne the carrot and onion. Aim for a thickness of about 3 mm for a consistent texture when cooked. Feel free to adjust the amount of carrot and onion according to your preference.
Step 3
Measure out 0.7 Tbsp of minced garlic (slightly more than 1/2 Tbsp). Wash the green onions thoroughly and chop them into lengths of about 1 to 1.5 cm. Adding green onions will enhance the dish’s color and add a fresh aroma.
Step 4
Heat the cooking oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the prepared carrots and onions. Stir-fry for about 30 to 40 seconds, ensuring the vegetables are coated with oil. This step helps to soften the vegetables slightly and coat them for better flavor absorption.
Step 5
Now, add the fish cakes to the pan. Stir-fry them for about 5 to 6 times, gently tossing them with the vegetables. Be careful not to overcook the fish cakes, as they can become tough if fried for too long.
Step 6
Add the soy sauce (1.5 Tbsp) and oligodang (1.8 Tbsp) to the pan. Stir well to ensure the seasoning coats the fish cakes evenly. Taste the stir-fry and adjust the seasoning if needed: add a little more soy sauce if it’s not salty enough, or a tablespoon or two of water or a bit more oligodang if it’s too salty. You can also use honey or sugar instead of oligodang.
Step 7
Once the seasoning is balanced, add the minced garlic and chopped green onions. Stir-fry briefly until the garlic is fragrant and cooked, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, turn off the heat. The residual heat will continue to cook them gently.
Step 8
Finally, drizzle in the sesame oil (0.5 Tbsp) and give everything a final gentle toss. The sesame oil adds a wonderful nutty aroma and richness to the dish.
Step 9
Sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for garnish. Your delicious Braised Fish Cakes (Eomuk Bokkeum) are now ready! This makes a fantastic side dish for rice or a great addition to lunchboxes.
