Nostalgic Chewy Lunchbox Side Dishes
A nostalgic spread of lunchbox side dishes featuring blanched, pan-fried fish cake and spicy-seasoned yellow pickled radish.
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 →
A nostalgic pair of side dishes from school days: stir-fried fish cake with shishito peppers and seasoned yellow pickled radish. Blanching the fish cake in boiling water and then stir-frying it until the surface turns lightly crisp keeps it from getting soggy, giving it a wonderfully bouncy, chewy texture. Made with everyday, affordable ingredients, it is an easy everyday banchan anyone can pull together.
- Servings
- about 2–3 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Stir-fried fish cake and shishito peppers
- Square fish cake (eomuk)2 sheets
- Shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu)1 handful, 50 g
Fish cake seasoning
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Minced garlic1/2 tbsp
- Water2 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
Seasoned pickled radish
- Yellow pickled radish (danmuji)1 handful
Pickled radish seasoning
- Gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)1/2 tbsp
- Minced green onion1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds
Steps
1. Cut the square fish cake in half, then slice it into bite-sized pieces.
Drop the fish cake into rolling boiling water and blanch it briefly to remove excess oil and surface additives,
then rinse in cold water and drain well.
Drizzle a little oil into a heated pan and stir-fry the fish cake until the exterior becomes slightly crisp before using.
Fish cakes can easily turn soggy when blanched and cooked in sauce, but frying them this way beforehand keeps the stir-fry pleasantly bouncy and chewy.
2. Pierce the shishito peppers with a fork or toothpick so the seasoning absorbs well.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the shishito peppers, and stir-fry briefly.
4. Add the fish cake along with all the seasoning ingredients except the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds...
5. Stir-fry until the seasoning is evenly absorbed into the ingredients.
6. Finish by adding the toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds, and it is done.
Seasoned yellow pickled radish
Ingredients: a handful of yellow pickled radish
Seasoning: 1/2 tbsp gochugaru, 1 tbsp minced green onion, toasted sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds
Thinly slice the yellow pickled radish,
add all the seasoning ingredients, and toss gently by hand.
If you prefer it more sweet and tangy than the radish already is, feel free to add vinegar or sugar.
Ppunwife's tips
- Fish cakes can easily turn soggy when blanched and cooked in sauce, but stir-frying them crisp beforehand keeps the stir-fry pleasantly bouncy and chewy.
- If you prefer it more sweet and tangy than the radish already is, feel free to add vinegar or sugar.
FAQ
Why do you blanch the fish cake in boiling water before cooking?
Blanching it briefly in boiling water helps remove excess surface oil and unwanted additives.
Is there a trick to giving the stir-fried fish cake a chewy texture?
After draining the blanched fish cake, stir-fry it in an oiled pan until the outside turns slightly crisp before adding any seasonings, which keeps it pleasantly bouncy.
Why prick the shishito peppers with a fork?
Piercing them in advance with a fork or toothpick allows the seasoning to penetrate evenly to the inside while cooking.
How can I make the seasoned yellow pickled radish more sweet and tangy?
Simply add a bit of vinegar or sugar to taste alongside the basic seasoning ingredients.
