Savory and Sweet Fish Cake and Burdock Root Simmered Dish: Reviving Fridge Ingredients!
Fridge Clean-Out! Making a Delicious Side Dish with Fish Cake, Burdock Root, Dried Anchovies, and Bell Pepper
Revitalize your fridge by using up fish cakes, burdock root, dried anchovies, and bell peppers that are nearing their expiration or starting to wilt. This recipe transforms these leftover ingredients into a flavorful and nutritious simmered side dish, perfect for any meal.
Main Ingredients- 200g blanched fish cakes
- 200g blanched burdock root
- 1 handful dried anchovies (approx. 10g)
- 1 bell pepper
- 1 piece dried kelp (kombu, 5x5cm)
- 3-4 cloves garlic
Simmering Sauce- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or seasoned soy sauce)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- 2 Tbsp rice syrup (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake)
- A little oligosaccharide (or sugar) for finishing
- A little toasted sesame seeds for finishing
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce (or seasoned soy sauce)
- 1 cup water (200ml)
- 2 Tbsp rice syrup (or corn syrup)
- 1 Tbsp plum extract
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or sake)
- A little oligosaccharide (or sugar) for finishing
- A little toasted sesame seeds for finishing
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the fish cakes and burdock root. Cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces (e.g., long strips or squares). Peel the burdock root, then slice it thinly lengthwise into strips or slices.
Step 2
Blanch each ingredient in boiling water. Blanch the fish cakes for about 1 minute and the burdock root for 3-5 minutes. This helps remove impurities and shortens cooking time. After blanching, rinse them under cold water and drain any excess water.
Step 3
Prepare the simmering sauce. In a pot, combine 1 cup of water, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 Tbsp rice syrup, 1 Tbsp plum extract, and 1 Tbsp cooking wine. Stir well. Add the dried kelp piece and dried anchovies, then bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove the kelp once the water starts boiling to prevent any bitterness.
Step 4
Once the sauce begins to boil, add the blanched burdock root first and simmer over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes. After the burdock root has softened slightly, add the blanched fish cakes and simmer together. (Tip: Adding burdock root first allows it to cook longer, resulting in a more uniform color with the fish cakes. Since both are already blanched, adding them together is also fine.)
Step 5
Crush the whole garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the pot. Continue to simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce has reduced to a glaze. Stir occasionally to prevent the ingredients from burning.
Step 6
Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut it into thin strips. Once the sauce has significantly reduced, add the bell pepper strips and toss to combine. The crisp texture and fresh aroma of the bell pepper will enhance the dish. (Tip: Adding Cheongyang chili peppers would also add a delicious spicy-sweet flavor.)
Step 7
Finally, drizzle a little oligosaccharide (or sugar) for a glossy finish and sprinkle generously with crushed toasted sesame seeds. A dash of sesame oil can be added, but for longer storage, using more sesame seeds instead of sesame oil will preserve the nutty flavor for longer. You can add a little sesame oil just before serving.
