Spicy Red Fish Cake and Rice Cake Stir-fry
How to Make Deliciously Spicy Red Fish Cakes
Craving something savory and spicy after the holidays? Use up your leftover Tteokguk (rice cake soup) rice cakes and make this vibrant red fish cake and rice cake stir-fry. The sweet and spicy sauce perfectly coats the chewy rice cakes and tender fish cakes, making it a delightful treat when you’re not feeling very hungry. Adjust the chili pepper level for the whole family!
Main Ingredients- 6 sheets of Korean fish cakes (Eomuk)
- 1 cup Tteokguk rice cakes (approx. 200g)
- 2 pieces of dried kelp (Kombu, about 5cm x 5cm)
- 2 cups water (400ml)
- 2 handfuls of green onions (scallions)
- 1 Korean green chili pepper (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare the fish cakes. Fold each sheet of fish cake into thirds and thread them onto skewers in a zigzag pattern. If using regular garaetteok (thick rice cakes) instead of tteokguk rice cakes, use 2-3 skewers per piece. If not using skewers, cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces (about 3-4cm).
Step 2
Soak the tteokguk rice cakes in water for about 10 minutes to soften them. This prevents them from sticking together and ensures a chewier texture when cooked.
Step 3
Chop the green onions finely. If using the Korean green chili pepper, remove the seeds and mince it finely. (If cooking for children, you can omit the chili pepper or use less.)
Step 4
In a wide pan or pot, pour in 2 cups (400ml) of water and add the 2 pieces of dried kelp to start infusing the broth. Stir in 2 Tbsp of gochujang and dissolve it well.
Step 5
To the gochujang mixture, add 1 Tbsp of gochugaru, 1 and 2/3 Tbsp of sugar, and 1 Tbsp of soy sauce to build the base flavor of the sauce.
Step 6
Finally, add 1 Tbsp of corn syrup (or rice syrup) and 2/3 Tbsp of minced garlic. Stir everything together until well combined, then bring it to a boil over high heat to cook the sauce.
Step 7
Once the sauce mixture comes to a rolling boil, remove the dried kelp pieces. This prevents the broth from becoming too rich or having an overly strong kelp flavor, as the kelp’s main role was to add umami initially.
Step 8
Add the prepared fish cake skewers to the pot. Spoon the sauce over the fish cakes as they cook. Gently flip or rearrange the skewers to ensure they cook evenly and absorb the sauce on all sides.
Step 9
After the fish cakes have cooked for a bit, add the soaked tteokguk rice cakes to the pot. Adding them later helps prevent them from becoming mushy and ensures they cook to a perfect, chewy consistency.
Step 10
Once the rice cakes and fish cakes are simmering together, add the chopped green onions and the minced Korean green chili pepper (if using). Stir well. Let the sauce simmer and thicken until it coats all the ingredients beautifully. You can adjust the spiciness by the amount of green chili pepper used. The sauce base alone is mild enough for elementary school-aged children.
Step 11
Continue to cook, adjusting the heat as needed, until the rice cakes and fish cakes are fully cooked and have absorbed the delicious sauce. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water and continue to simmer until it reaches your desired consistency. Be careful not to overcook the rice cakes, as they can become too soft.
Step 12
Your delicious Spicy Red Fish Cake and Rice Cake Stir-fry is ready! Serving them on skewers makes them extra fun to eat. (If you want a larger portion, you can cut the fish cakes instead of skewering them. However, if you skip the skewers, use less water initially and cook over high heat to prevent the fish cakes from becoming too soft.) Rekindle your appetite with this savory and spicy dish!
