Soft and Savory Stir-Fried Fish Cakes (Eomuk Bokkeum)
Easy Eomuk Bokkeum Recipe Using Frozen Fish Cakes with Plenty of Vegetables
Today, I’m excited to introduce a beloved Korean side dish, Eomuk Bokkeum (stir-fried fish cakes), known for its wonderfully soft texture! This recipe is perfect for transforming those frozen fish cakes into a delightful meal. By adding crisp onions and fragrant Korean green chili peppers (Ggwari Gochu), and seasoning with a rich soy sauce (Bul Ganjang), you’ll create a side dish that’s truly addictive with rice. The tender fish cakes combined with the crunchy texture of the green peppers make this a guaranteed hit. While a warm fish cake soup is perfect for colder weather, let’s make today a culinary adventure with this delicious stir-fry that adds a wonderful touch to your dining table. Let’s get started, shall we?
Main Ingredients- Square fish cakes (small size) 8 sheets
- Korean green chili peppers (Ggwari Gochu) 3 pieces
- 1 Onion
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
Seasoning Ingredients- 3 Tbsp Soy sauce (Bul Ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Cooking wine (Mirin)
- 1/2 cup Dashi stock or water
- 1 Tbsp Red pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp Soy sauce (Bul Ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp Cooking wine (Mirin)
- 1/2 cup Dashi stock or water
- 1 Tbsp Red pepper flakes (Gochugaru)
- 1 Tbsp Toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces. For square fish cakes, cutting them into 2-3 segments is ideal. Thinly slice the onion into strips. Trim the stems off the Korean green chili peppers and slice them diagonally. If you prefer less heat or are cooking for children, you can remove the seeds from the peppers before slicing.
Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add the chopped green onion and half of the sliced onion, and stir-fry until fragrant. Once the aroma of the green onions rises, add the prepared fish cakes and stir-fry together for about 1-2 minutes. Lightly stir-frying the fish cakes helps them absorb the sauce better and improves their texture.
Step 3
While stir-frying the fish cakes in the pan, add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce (Bul Ganjang) and continue to stir-fry until the fish cakes are coated.
Step 4
After adding the soy sauce, pour in the 1/2 cup of dashi stock or water and bring to a simmer over medium heat, continuing to stir-fry. Cooking with a generous amount of liquid and simmering allows the fish cakes to remain soft and prevents them from becoming tough. Stir occasionally as the liquid reduces.
Step 5
Once the fish cakes have reached your desired softness, add 1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, the prepared Korean green chili peppers, and the remaining sliced onion. Keep the heat on medium-low to prevent the vegetables from becoming overly soft.
Step 6
Quickly mix all the ingredients together and stir-fry. If there’s still a little liquid remaining when you turn off the heat, the fish cakes will be extra moist and tender. Be careful not to overcook, as the liquid can evaporate completely, leaving the dish dry.
Step 7
Finally, drizzle in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil for added fragrance and give it a final light toss. Your soft Eomuk Bokkeum, naturally sweet from the ingredients and rich with the savory depth of the soy sauce, is ready to enjoy – no added sugar needed! Serve this delicious dish with a warm bowl of rice.
