Spicy and Sweet Fish Cake Kimbap
Spicy and Sweet Fish Cake Kimbap: A Delicious Fish Cake Dish Recipe
Kimbap made with savory fish cakes! It’s simple yet incredibly delicious. Perfect for a picnic or a quick, satisfying meal. The spicy and sweet fish cake adds a wonderful depth of flavor to the kimbap.
Kimbap Ingredients- 2 sheets of square fish cake
- 1 bowl of cooked rice (warm)
- 2 strips of pickled radish
- 2 strips of seasoned burdock root
- 1/2 cucumber (julienned)
- 2 sheets of dried seaweed for kimbap
Spicy & Sweet Fish Cake Seasoning (Tablespoon Measurement)- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 cups dashi broth (kelp and bonito flake broth)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or oligodang)
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp mirin (rice wine)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 cups dashi broth (kelp and bonito flake broth)
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or oligodang)
- 2 Tbsp gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the rice for the kimbap. When cooking the rice, use slightly less water than usual and add a piece of dried kelp for extra flavor. Finishing with 1 tablespoon of olive oil will make the rice grains separate and fluffy, which is ideal for making kimbap.
Step 2
Cut the square fish cakes into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5 cm wide. You can adjust the thickness and size according to your preference, as it will affect the texture.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the delicious seasoning for the fish cakes. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 tablespoon of mirin, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 2 cups of dashi broth. Mix well. Separately prepare 1 tablespoon of corn syrup, 2 tablespoons of gochugaru, and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, which will be added later during the simmering process.
Step 4
In a wide pan, add the prepared dashi broth and the cut fish cakes. Pour in the seasoned base (soy sauce, sugar, mirin mixture) and bring to a boil over high heat. Once the sauce has reduced by about two-thirds, add the corn syrup, gochugaru, and sesame seeds. Stir quickly to ensure the seasoning is evenly coated on the fish cakes as it simmers. This will result in glossy and flavorful spicy fish cakes.
Step 5
Prepare the additional ingredients for the kimbap. Besides the usual pickled radish and seasoned burdock root, we’ll add fresh cucumber for a refreshing taste. Remove the seeds from the cucumber and julienne it thinly. If you prefer, you can also use blanched spinach instead of cucumber for a delicious variation. I’ve added seasoned burdock root as an extra ingredient to enhance the kimbap’s flavor, and I highly recommend it.
Step 6
Let’s roll the kimbap! Place a sheet of seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat, with the rough side facing up. Spread the warm rice thinly over the seaweed. Generously layer the prepared spicy and sweet fish cakes on top of the rice. Arrange the pickled radish, burdock root, and cucumber alongside the fish cakes. Filling the kimbap generously will make it even more substantial and delicious. Making kimbap is always a fun and easy process! Especially this spicy fish cake kimbap, as it requires minimal additional ingredients while still delivering a rich flavor profile thanks to the fish cakes themselves.
Step 7
Using the bamboo mat, carefully roll the kimbap tightly but without tearing the seaweed. Ensure the filling stays intact. Pinch the end slightly to seal it.
Step 8
Once rolled, brush the outside of the kimbap with sesame oil for a fragrant finish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the kimbap into bite-sized pieces. The advantage here is that since there are no tough ingredients, the kimbap cuts cleanly and beautifully without falling apart.
Step 9
Looking at the cross-section of the kimbap, you’ll see it’s generously filled with fish cakes. Adding even more fish cake would make it even more delicious! The gently simmered fish cakes have a wonderfully chewy yet tender texture that bursts with flavor with every bite. The combination of the spicy and sweet seasoning with the fish cakes is simply outstanding!
