Moist and Spicy Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Fish Cakes)
Spicy stir-fried fish cakes seasoned with gochugaru and oyster sauce, kept moist and tender.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This is a simple side dish made by briefly blanching fish cakes in boiling water to remove excess surface oil, then stir-frying them with vegetables. Adding a small amount of water to the seasoning sauce keeps the texture soft and moist, while gochugaru gives it an enjoyable spicy kick. It pairs wonderfully as a side dish for rice or as a quick snack with drinks.
- Servings
- 3–4 servings
- Cook time
- 20 minprep not included
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Square fish cake (eomuk)3 sheets
- Oniona little of each
- Red chili peppera little of each
- Carrota little of each
- Large green onion (daepa)a little of each
Seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)0.5 tbsp
- Oyster sauce0.5 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Water2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)0.5 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Briefly blanch the fish cakes in boiling water to remove excess oil and impurities. Rinse in cold water and drain.
Steps
Briefly blanch the fish cakes in boiling water to remove excess oil and impurities.
Rinse in cold water and drain well.
Slice all the vegetables to the same thickness and length as the fish cakes.
Mix all the seasoning ingredients together, except for the garlic and toasted sesame oil.
Heat oil in a preheated pan and stir-fry the minced garlic.
Once the garlic cooks and becomes fragrant, add the carrot and stir-fry.
When the carrot is slightly cooked, add all remaining ingredients except the large green onion and stir-fry.
Once the onion softens...
Add the prepared seasoning sauce and large green onion, then stir-fry briefly.
Finish by drizzling toasted sesame oil and sprinkling toasted sesame seeds.
Ppunwife's tips
- Adding a little water to stir-fry keeps them moist and soft, making for a much more appetizing eomuk bokkeum.
FAQ
Why blanch the fish cakes in boiling water before cooking?
Briefly blanching them in boiling water helps remove excess surface grease and unwanted additives. After blanching, rinse them in cold water and drain before use.
How can I keep the stir-fried fish cakes moist instead of stiff?
Mixing a little water into the seasoning sauce adds moisture, which keeps the fish cakes tender and soft instead of dry.
How should I cut the vegetables and fish cakes?
Cutting the secondary ingredients like onion and carrot to a similar length and thickness as the fish cakes makes the dish look neat and helps everything cook evenly.
If I do not have oyster sauce, can I replace it with something else? AI-generated
You can generally increase the amount of soy sauce slightly or add a small splash of tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek) to supplement the savory umami flavor.
