Chewy Fish Cake and Fluffy Potato Stir-Fry
Making Delicious Side Dishes for Kids
A Perfect Side Dish: Stir-Fried Potatoes and Fish Cakes
Main Ingredients- 4 small potatoes (approx. 300g)
- 2 sheets of square fish cakes (approx. 150g)
- 1/2 medium onion (approx. 100g)
Seasoning Ingredients- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (oligo당)
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Pinch of black pepper
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (oligo당)
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the ingredients. Peel and thoroughly wash 4 small potatoes. Then, slice them into thin matchsticks, about 0.5 cm thick. If they are too thick, they will take longer to cook. Cut 2 sheets of square fish cakes into bite-sized pieces, similar in length and thickness to the potato matchsticks. Slice half an onion into matchsticks as well, matching the size of the potatoes. Having all ingredients cut to similar sizes will ensure they cook evenly and taste better together.
Step 2
Now, let’s start stir-frying! Heat a pan over medium heat and add about 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Using a generous amount of oil when stir-frying potatoes helps them cook until they are slightly crisp and not sticky. Add the julienned potatoes and onions to the pan and begin to stir-fry them together. Start with medium heat, and once the potatoes begin to look slightly translucent, reduce the heat to medium-low. Adding onions to potato stir-fries brings a natural sweetness and umami, significantly enhancing the dish’s flavor. I personally always add onions to my potato stir-fries because it makes the final dish so much more moist and delicious.
Step 3
Check to see if the potatoes are about 80% cooked. The surface of the potatoes should look slightly translucent and they should start to feel tender. They should still have a slight firmness, so they aren’t completely soft yet. A good way to test is by piercing them with a chopstick.
Step 4
Once the potatoes are about 80% cooked, add the prepared square fish cakes to the pan and continue to stir-fry them together. Fish cakes cook very quickly, so adding them when the potatoes are almost done ensures they retain their chewy texture and don’t become mushy.
Step 5
Continue to stir-fry all the ingredients until the potatoes are completely tender and cooked through. Once the potatoes are fully softened, add 2 tablespoons of cooking wine (mirin) and stir-fry. Mirin helps to remove any potential fishy smell from the fish cakes and adds another layer of flavor to the dish.
Step 6
Next, add 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Soy sauce will add depth of flavor and give the stir-fry a beautiful color.
Step 7
Finally, add 1 tablespoon of corn syrup (oligo당) to adjust the sweetness. Stir everything together well, ensuring all the seasonings coat the ingredients evenly. If you taste it and find it needs more salt, you can add a tiny pinch of salt at this stage. (However, the soy sauce and corn syrup should provide a good balance of flavor!)
Step 8
We’re almost done! Just before turning off the heat, add 0.5 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds for a nutty aroma. If you like, add a pinch of black pepper for a subtle spicy kick. Give it one final quick stir to combine all the flavors, and your delicious potato and fish cake stir-fry is complete!
Step 9
Your wonderful potato and fish cake stir-fry is ready! Serve it over warm rice for a fantastic side dish that both kids and adults will love.
